ABSTRACT
Keywords: Virtual;Pain;Covid-19 Purpose: Due to the Covid-19 crisis, face-to-face groups were cancelled in the fife pain management service (FPMS) for an indefinite period. This resulted in a group of patients, waiting to attend a face-to-face physiotherapy led education and exercise group, requiring an alternative format. Therefore, the need for a virtual alternative was established. The primary aim of the project was to develop and evaluate a patient self-learning resource that may be used on an individual basis, with virtual clinician support, or as part of a virtual group. The secondary aim was to develop and implement the use of this learning resource with patients on the physiotherapy led education and exercise group waiting list in a virtual environment. The tertiary aim of this project was to determine whether this virtual alternative would be an effective means of delivering pain management education during the covid-19 pandemic and beyond. Methods: A working group developed a patient self-management workbook based on the FPMS ‘Self-Management Jigsaw’ tool. An operational procedure was developed and implemented on how the workbook could be used during the pandemic and subsequent restrictions. Patients on the pre-pandemic group waiting list were invited to participate in the programme. The patients had a choice of (1) a telephone supported programme or (2) a video group programme. Due to the limitations of the service at the time, the telephone programme commenced first. The working group implemented the telephone programme operational procedure and collected patient and staff quantitative and qualitative feedback to determine the effectiveness of the intervention. Once feedback was analysed, the group made minor changes to the workbook and developed an operational procedure for a virtual video group programme. This programme was piloted and qualitative and quantitative data was collected, analysed and compared to the telephone pilot group. Results: This project demonstrated the usefulness of a workbook to support pain education virtually. The workbook was better received in the video group (9.75/10) to the telephone cohort (7.5/10). Due to limitations within this pilot project, we are unable to ascertain the reason for this. The telephone support was equally effective and valuable in both pilot groups from both quantitative and qualitative data. Both groups reported high satisfaction rates with an average of 9.5/10, with multiple positive qualitative feedback. This data suggest the user led video approach supported engagement within the group based on the comparison of retention rates. Conclusion(s): The project demonstrates that these programmes have the potential to be an effective means of delivering pain education and have a place within the service post Covid-19. However, they are very much in their infancy and further virtual programmes within the FPMS are required to determine longer term effectiveness and efficiency. Impact: Further research is required to determine whether the delivery of virtual physiotherapy led pain education and exercise groups are effective and offer comparable results to face-to-face groups. Additionally, research is required to establish which factors enable service users to engage effectively with virtual physiotherapy led pain education and exercise programmes. Funding acknowledgements: This work was not funded.