External guidelines

Joint publications

British Pain Society and Faculty of Pain Medicine

• Standards of good practice for medial branch block injections and radiofrequency denervation for low back pain (updated April 2020)
• Standards of good practice for spinal interventional procedures in pain medicine (updated April 2020)

Public Health England, Faculty of Pain Medicine, British Pain Society, and Department of Health

• Managing persistent pain in secure settings
   

Clinical guidelines endorsed by the FPM

Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists and ANZCA Faculty of Pain Medicine

• Acute Pain Management: Scientific Evidence 5th edition

British Medical Association

• Chronic pain: supporting safer prescribing of analgesics
• Improving analgesic use to support pain management at the end of life

NHS England

NHS England published the National Safety Standards for Invasive Procedures in September 2015 to support NHS organisations in providing safer care and to reduce the number of patient safety incidents related to invasive procedures in which surgical Never Events can occur. The NatSSIPs cover all invasive procedures including those performed outside of the operating department.  

• National Safety Standards for Invasive Procedures (NatSSIPs)

Best MSK Health

• Back and radicular pain: Lumbar nerve root block/epidural 
• Back and radicular pain: Lower lumbar medical branch block/facet joint injections 

(both also available on NHSFutures )

British Pain Society professional publications

The British Pain Society aims to produce contemporary guidance, supported by available evidence, on clinical and other pain matters. Their professional publications can be found on their website.
 

Drug Driving regulations and changes to the law

A new offence of driving with certain specified controlled drugs in excess of specified levels in the body is expected to come into force on 2 March 2015. This offence is an addition to the existing rules on drug impaired driving and fitness to drive. The legislation also provides for a statutory “medical defence” for this new offence, for patients taking their medicines in accordance with instructions. 

This Department for Transport guidance document has been developed on the advice of independent clinical experts and has been approved by the Secretary of State's Honorary Advisory Panel on Alcohol, Drugs and Substance Misuse. It is intended to assist healthcare professionals by clarifying key relevant information. 

• Department for Transport 'Guidance for healthcare professionals on drug driving' 

To view the Faculty response to these regulations please go to our statements page. 

Patient information endorsed by the Faculty

British Pain Society

• Managing pain after your surgery