Services and Support Groups

Depending on the type of pain you have different help may be available to you.

Chronic Pain

If your pain has been ongoing for more than 12 weeks, there are several local and national services which are able to offer support.

Below is a directory of services and contacts that can help you manage your pain. Click below to open the relevant section.

The WELLBEING LAUNCHPAD lists hundreds of resources all across Northampton.

Click here to find out more

Acute pain

Acute pain is likely to be caused by a short-term issue and may well get better itself with rest and medicines bought from a pharmacy. You can visit your community pharmacy for many minor injuries and ailments, including migraine and back pain.

For more serious injuries you may need to visit your GP. In emergencies, for example for broken bones, you may need to visit the accident and emergency department.

If you are unsure of where to get help, you can ring 111, use 111 online or use the NHS app.

Acute pain can also be experienced following an operation while you are healing and recovering. In this case the hospital should give you support and guidance to help you get better, minimise pain and someone to contact if your pain isn’t getting better.

SPRING

SPRING is a community driven support network, here to help people in Northamptonshire manage their health and wellbeing. Patients can self-refer or be referred by professionals. For more information or to be referred, see the link below.

https://www.springnorthamptonshire.org/

Personalised Care

Many practices and PCNs across Northamptonshire will have Personalisation Teams. These can consist of Health & Wellbeing Coaches, Care Coordinators, and Social Prescribing Link Workers. These teams are able to empower people to develop their skills, knowledge, confidence, and motivation to manage their own health and wellbeing.

For more information about services in your own practice, please contact them directly.

Physio

First Contact Physiotherapists (FCPs) are highly trained physiotherapists, with extensive experience in the assessment and management of bone, joint or muscle conditions – such as back or neck pain. They can assess and treat you without the need for a GP appointment. If you have a bone, joint or muscle pain, ask reception at your GP practice for an appointment with an FCP.

Video: When to see an FCP (link)

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STAR Drug & Alcohol Addiction Services

If you feel like you need help with your medication use, STAR (Support, Treatment, Advice and Recovery) provides a single front door to accessing drug and alcohol support services across Northamptonshire.

STAR can be used by patients, family members of those with drug and alcohol problems and professionals who work with clients with substance misuse issues.

You can also call STAR on 0808 169 8512 between 9:30-4pm, Monday-Friday.