Interventional Cancer Pain Service
What is the Interventional Cancer Pain Service?
The West of Scotland Interventional Cancer Pain Service (ICPS) is a team of healthcare professionals based within the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre. Patients can be referred to us if they have a cancer pain that is uncontrolled by conventional measures or have unacceptable side effects from existing pain medication.
The ICPS team will assess the patient’s pain and if appropriate, may offer an intervention to help their pain. Patients should be referred into the service by a Palliative Medicine Consultant.
Most patients with cancer pain have their pain controlled with medication. However, some people may benefit from other treatments to help their cancer pain.
At the clinic, we will ask various questions about your pain and medications. We will also ask about your lifestyle and how you manage functionally day to day.
You may meet a number of members of the team to ensure we have all the information we need to make a decision about which, if any, intervention would be suitable for you. It is important to remember that often the outcome of the assessment is that there is no suitable intervention to help your pain and you would continue to be seen by your local palliative care team.
The team is made up of a variety of health professionals:
Palliative Medicine Consultants
- Dr Lucy Hetherington
- Dr Eilidh Burns
Chronic Pain Consultants
- Dr Clare Bridgestock
- Dr Jon McGhie
- Dr Pete Paisley
- Dr Andy Crockett
Interventional Cancer Pain/Palliative Care Nurse
- Rachael English
Clinical Psychologist
- Catherine Cavanagh
Physiotherapist
- Lesley Somerville
Pharmacist
- Paul Gallagher
The service has a new patient clinic on a Wednesday afternoon, based in the Beatson Outpatient Department.