The Scottish Government have opened a consultation looking at their Quality Prescribing for Chronic Pain guide for improvement 2026-2029. One of the areas they would like views on is non-pharmacological approaches, including social prescribing.

Chronic pain, defined as persistent pain lasting beyond three months, can significantly impact quality of life, affecting physical and mental wellbeing. In Scotland, the Scottish Health Survey 2022 indicates that approximately 38% of adults live with chronic pain. The prevalence of chronic pain is significantly higher in areas of socioeconomic deprivation.

VHS is planning to respond to the consultation reflecting the views and experiences of our members and stakeholders. We’d like to invite you to an online consultation event hosted on Teams on the 7th October, 2-3.30pm, where you can hear more about the consultation and share your views.