ESCAPE-pain

ESCAPE-pain

ESCAPE-pain is a group rehabilitation programme for people over 45 years of age with hip or knee pain osteoarthritis. The programme consists of 12 sessions run over six weeks, with each session including educational and exercise components. The programme can be delivered by physiotherapists and fitness instructors within the NHS and leisure sector.

The reported benefits include improvement in pain, function and mood, with participants better able to undertake daily activities. They also gain a better understanding of their condition and the benefits that exercise can bring.

The Oxford AHSN has engaged with NHS commissioners and providers, local authorities, leisure centres and County Sport Partnerships to discuss the potential to introduce ESCAPE-pain into both health and leisure settings.

The Oxford AHSN has supported sites which have introduced the programme. This included understanding the potential impact of the programme and funding places on the ESCAPE-pain training course which is essential before introducing the programme.

Currently three leisure centres in Milton Keynes, Slough and Oxfordshire are running the programme. Feedback from both participants and facilitators has been extremely positive.

Two further leisure centres have confirmed their intention to introduce ESCAPE-pain early in 2020/21. One integrated care system (ICS) within the region is also currently considering the programme as part of their musculoskeletal (MSK) pathway. If agreed, this would also start in 2020/21.

ESCAPE-pain is one of seven national programmes supported by all AHSNs in 2018-20. Read about the national ESCAPE-pain programme here.

Further information: [email protected]