Pain (Hansard, 27 October 1994)

§ Ms Primarolo
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of medical schools offer tuition in pain control.

§ Mr. Malone
A total of 100 per cent.

§ Ms Primarolo
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will estimate the number of people suffering from chronic pain.

§ Mr. Sackville
The prevalence of chronic pain is not known.

§ Ms Primarolo
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research she has commissioned on the chief causes of chronic pain; and with what results.

§ Mr. Sackville
The main agency through which the Government support biomedical and clinical research is the Medical Research Council, which receives its grant in aid from the office of my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. The MRC is an independent body deciding what research to support on its own expert judgment.
In 1992–93, the latest year for which figures are available, the MRC spent £237,000 on research into pain.

§ Ms Primarolo
To ask the Secretary of State for Health to what extent pain relief is included in undergraduate medical training.

§ Mr. Malone
Knowledge and understanding of the relief of pain is taught in all university medical schools. They determine the extent of this teaching in the light of recommendations from the education committee of the General Medical Council, which has the statutory authority to determine the extent of the knowledge and skill required for the granting of primary medical qualifications in the United Kingdom.

§ Ms Primarolo
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of district health authorities have pain relief clinics.
827W

§ Mr. Sackville
The information is not available centrally. It is for individual health authorities to commission hospital services that meet local needs including services for people with acute or chronic pain.

§ Ms Primarolo
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if pain relief is recognised as a specialty by her Department.

§ Mr. Sackville
No. This is primarily a matter for the medical profession in discussion with the Department.