The initial research
Funded by a Sciart Research Award for 2001 and supported by the INPUT staff and unit, Deborah began working with patients on the residential programme at INPUT to co-create images which as closely as possible represented something of their unique experience of pain. During their four week stay patients and artists met for an hour once a week during which time they constructed, deconstructed and reconstructed series of photographs unique to each patient. The resultant images owe much to the courage and creativity of those who volunteered to take part. A small selection was made by each patient and used in individual follow-up consultations with Dr Charles Pither. The hope was that by providing a shared reference point the photographs could improve communication and understanding between patient and doctor, and so benefit treatment outcome. It was an attempt to bridge the gap between the private experience of pain and a medical and public understanding.

Current/future research
There have been many requests by professionals and patients for the image bank to be made available for use by other health professionals. Funded by the Charitable Foundation for Guy’s & St Thomas’ Hospitals, Deborah is in the process of developing further images to extend the existing image bank with the involvement of patients both from St Thomas’ Hospital London and from Bradford Hospitals. The aim is to arrive at a resource of images covering as many of pain’s qualities and associative experiences as possible relevant to sufferers from a variety of cultural backgrounds. The images will be reproduced within carefully selected groupings and bound in a format designed for easy use in both primary and secondary care.

A resource pack including the extended image bank, explanatory leaflet and feedback questionnaires for patients and physicians, developed in collaboration with Dr Charles Pither (St Thomas’ Hospital) and Dr Frances Cole (Bradford Pain Rehabilitation Unit) will be launched at St Thomas’ early in 2004. Any health professional interested in using the resource pack as part of this initial clinical trial should contact Deborah Padfield at: deborah.padfield@btinternet.com

Feedback from health professionals and patients will be analysed by Professor Brian Hurwitz, Dr Charles Pither, Dr Frances Cole and Deborah Padfield, fed back to participating clinicians and made public.

Research is being devised by Professor Brian Hurwitz, D'Oyly Carte Professor of Medicine & the Arts, King's College, London.