CHRONIC PAIN

That this House notes with concern that a fifth of the population suffer from chronic pain, that chonic pain is the second most common cause of days taken off work and that back pain alone costs the NHS at least ú480 million a year; urges the Department of Health to ensure that uniform funding is allocated throughout the UK to specialist pain services; and calls for the Department of Health to issue guidance to NHS primary care and acute trusts in providing chronic pain services and advice to those training healthcare professionals which emphasises the importance of assessing and treating pain effectively.