Pain Cafes: The power of personalised, strengths-based support

30-50% of Lincolnshire residents are thought to experience persistent pain, and parts of the county rank highest in England for high-dose opioid use.

Across the county, however, a quiet transformation is taking place in how people living with chronic pain are supported. Through innovative Pain Cafés, healthcare teams are shifting away from traditional, medication-first models toward something far more human: personalised, strengths-based care that empowers people to live well with pain.

In April 2026, Alison from the It's All About People team explored Pain Cafés in a podcast conversation with Emma Farrington, Wellbeing Team Lead, First Coastal Primary Care Network (PCN), Anna Chapman, Personalised Care Lead at K2 PCN, and Lauren Boon, Health and Wellbeing Coach, Thrive Tribe, K2 PCN.

Emma Farrington explained that the Pain Cafés are not about curing pain, but about helping people manage it differently:

“It’s looking at the holistic factors… how else can they manage their pain, such as sleep, food and nutrition…mindfulness, taking things easy and pacing yourself.”

What emerges from this work is a powerful story about collaboration, community, and the importance of seeing the whole person, not just their symptoms.

Moving beyond medication: A whole person view of pain

One of the most striking features of the Pain Café model is its deliberate shift away from a purely medical approach. Instead of focusing immediately on medication, participants are guided through the 10 steps of the nationally-recognised Live Well with Pain programme, which explore the wider influences on pain.

Lauren described this journey: “It ranges from…what pain is…through sleep management, mindfulness, movement…managing mood...all things that can impact pain.”

This sequencing matters. Medication is discussed last, not first, a reversal of the typical clinical approach. By doing so, individuals are encouraged to build understanding, confidence, and self-management skills before considering pharmaceutical options.

The result? People begin to see themselves not as passive recipients of care, but as active agents in their own wellbeing.

The strength of peer support: “People that get it.”

Perhaps the most powerful element of the Pain Cafés is in the connections formed between café attendees.

Lauren reflected on the transformation she’s witnessed: “They’re with other people that get it…they don’t feel alone and they feel almost like they’re validated with their pain.”

At first, groups may be quiet and reserved. But over time, something shifts. Trust builds, conversations deepen, and people begin to share experiences not just of pain, but of life.

This sense of belonging is more than comforting; it’s therapeutic. Chronic pain can be isolating, often accompanied by responses from others of disbelief or dismissal. Creating a space where people feel seen and understood is, in itself, a form of care.

As one participant group demonstrated, the impact can be so significant that they asked: “What do we do after this?”, leading to the creation of ongoing peer support groups.

Personalisation in practice: Adapting to people’s lives

A core strength of the Pain Café model is its flexibility. There is no rigid blueprint. Instead, delivery evolves in response to local needs, geography, and participant feedback.

Anna: “It’s about talking to the people that attend…finding out what they want and tailoring it to their needs…There is no definitive way of delivering this.”

In coastal areas, multiple locations were needed to ensure accessibility. Elsewhere, smaller, local groups worked best.

Online sessions are now being introduced to reach those unable to leave their homes.

Even small details matter. Feedback about uncomfortable chairs led to simple adjustments like adding cushions, an example of listening and responding in real time.

This is personalised care in action: not just designing services for people, but with them.

Building confidence and acceptance

A key theme emerging from the programme is acceptance - not resignation, but a compassionate acknowledgment of one’s current reality.

Lauren shared a powerful example: “People…have come in with walkers…because they’ve accepted this is who I am right now…You can just see that they’re brighter.”

This shift can be transformative. Letting go of fear - of judgment, of stigma - allows individuals to make choices that genuinely support their wellbeing.

Alongside acceptance, participants develop practical skills like pacing (managing energy and activity levels). Naming and understanding these strategies gives people a sense of control and clarity.

Emma: “They probably didn’t realise it was called pacing…now it’s got a name, they can utilise that skill.”

These are small but meaningful gains, building blocks of confidence that extend far beyond the sessions themselves.

Empowerment through conversation

Rather than prescribing solutions, the Pain Cafés equip people with the tools to have better conversations, particularly with healthcare professionals.

Lauren: “It goes on to how to speak to your GP…maybe you don’t want to take the meds…"Can I try something else first?”

This reflects a strengths-based approach, recognising that individuals already have insight, preferences, and agency. The role of care is to support, not override, those strengths.

The impact is tangible. Emma: “One guy…asked for a medication review to start looking at reducing his pain meds.”

This isn’t about denying treatment. It’s about making informed, confident choices.

Collaboration and community: Doing more with less

Another defining feature of the Pain Café model is how it has been delivered: collaboratively, creatively, and on a minimal budget.

Emma: “The only real outgoing cost…is about £60…for leaflets.”

By working with community connectors, charities, and even local supermarkets, the teams have created sustainable, community-rooted services.

Just as importantly, collaboration extends between organisations. Teams across different regions share learning, adapt ideas, and support one another.

Anna: “We can all learn from each other…we’re happy to share the good bits and some of the bad bits.”

This openness accelerates innovation, and ensures that success isn’t siloed.

Prevention and purpose: A broader impact

While the Pain Cafés aim to reduce reliance on opioids, their impact goes far beyond medication.

They address a critical gap: the lack of community-based, preventative support for people living with chronic pain.

As Anna noted, there was a clear need: “That element of peer support…just wasn’t there.”

By filling this gap, the Cafés not only support individuals but also contribute to wider system sustainability, potentially reducing future demand on healthcare services.

But perhaps the most meaningful outcome is less measurable: renewed purpose.

Participants aren’t just receiving support - they’re shaping it, sustaining it, and even returning as Pain Champions to help others.

Conclusion: Putting people back at the centre

The story of Pain Cafés is, at its heart, a story about people.

It’s about recognising that living with pain is complex - and that effective support must be equally nuanced. It’s about moving beyond one-size-fits-all solutions and embracing personalised, strengths-based care that responds to individual experiences.

Most importantly, it’s about connection.

As this work shows, when people are given the space, tools, and support to understand their pain, and each other, something powerful happens. Confidence grows. Isolation diminishes. New possibilities emerge.

Or, as Alison, our podcast host reflected: “It’s giving people purpose…hope…techniques to live their lives a little bit easier.”

In a system often defined by constraints, Pain Cafés offer a simple but profound reminder: when we focus on people, not just problems, we unlock solutions that truly make a difference.