BU research helps patients with back pain

18 September 2009

The care given to patients suffering from back pain will be improved thanks to new research undertaken by BU healthcare academics.

BU Healthcare academics have been working with general practices from across Dorset and Wiltshire to look at ways the profession can further support patients with acute back pain.

The Learning to Improve the Management of Back Pain in the Community (LIMBIC) Project saw BU academics share their expertise and knowledge with local practitioners to develop new ways to treat and prevent back pain through self-management.

The project was funded by the Health Foundation in collaboration with Bournemouth & Poole and Wiltshire NHS Trusts.

Via a series of workshops, nine practices were encouraged to adopt a ‘team approach’ that utilised the skills and experience of everyone involved in dealing with and caring for those with back pain, ranging from GPs to receptionists.

The workshops identified a previous tendency to make assumptions based on a traditional medical approach, and there was a strong need to ensure that the views of patients are heard.

In addition, it was important to provide better information on back pain and provide different access routes to help, such as referral to physiotherapy, drawing on local knowledge to provide appropriate services.

Dr Charles Campion-Smith, who lead the clinical part of the LIMBIC Project said: “Until you have the whole team on board you are unlikely to be able to provide a holistic approach, which has been shown to benefit patients. Continuous improvement is about understanding how the bits fit together before you can make changes.”

Dr Eloise Carr, Associate Dean (Postgraduate students) at BU and member of the LIMBIC Project Steering Group, said: “The workshops were very successful, with participants commenting on the usefulness of ‘role play’ and patients' perspectives being incorporated into the day. Our approach to collaborative learning was also received positively.”