https://www.gosh.nhs.uk/conditions-and-treatments/procedures-and-treatments/chronic-pain-questionnaires/
Chronic pain questionnaires
Welcome to the Chronic Pain Clinic at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH). Please take a moment to read this page as it explains some important things about your child’s appointment.
What will happen at the appointment?
Before you see the clinical team, we will ask you and your child to complete some questionnaires. This will take up to 30 minutes. We will then ask you to wait to be seen by the clinical team. Please see your appointment letter for more details about the appointment itself.
Who will help with the questionnaires?
One or two people from the Pain Control Service will help you and your child with the questionnaires. If you have any questions or need any help with them, just ask the person with you. If your child needs any help, please encourage them to ask the member of staff helping you.
What are the questionnaires?
The questionnaires are about your child’s pain, what you and your child do about it and the effect the pain has on all of your lives. We also ask you to complete some questionnaires to get your views on your child’s pain.
Pain is influenced by many different things and affects different people in different ways. We are interested to know how it affects you and your child. As there will be lots to discuss during your appointment, the questionnaires also help us to spot anything we might have missed without them. This way we can make sure that nothing is overlooked.
Are the questionnaires suitable for everybody?
The questionnaires are designed to be completed by a very wide range of people. The person going through the questionnaires with you will select which ones you and your child need to complete. Some of them are designed only for children with chronic pain and some can be used by children with or without chronic pain. Some are also age-specific and one is just for adults.
Pain comes and goes and you may be coming to clinic on a particularly good – or bad – day. The questionnaires are only a guide and you will still have the opportunity to fully discuss your child’s pain with the team so that an appropriate management plans can be put in place.
How will the answers be used?
We can look at your answers straight away. We might talk to you and your child about your answers, either today or in future appointments. We may also look at everybody’s answers together to help us figure out what treatments work best, and for whom.
Are the answers confidential?
Yes. Your answers will be stored in our secure system. Only the people involved in your child’s care will see them.
Are the questionnaires compulsory?
The questionnaires can help us to manage your child’s pain. However, if you do not wish to complete them, just say so when we approach you. As there are separate questionnaires for you and your child, we will ask your child separately if he or she wants to complete them.