A Bit About Us
Camden Patient-led Pain Support Group
CamPain is a peer-to-peer support group, run by and for pain sufferers based in Camden. The group was set up in 2018 by a group of Camden chronic pain patients. It’s an independent community organisation, which cooperates with local NHS pain services and the voluntary sector. Most of our members have completed a pain management programme, though some have had equivalent treatment from a pain service.
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Our Friends and Supporters
We are supported by the Old Diorama Arts Centre who provide us with a space to meet. We are also on the Social Prescribing List with Voluntary Action Camden. We co-operate with Camden NHS MSK Services, the Camden Pain Service and the UCLH Pain Management Centre.
What we do
Our Activities
Monthly face-to-face meetings at the Old Diorama Arts Centre
Many of our group like to get together, face-to-face, to socialise, provide mutual support, share information and (when there is demand) have a discussion about a topic relevant to living with pain. Whatever we do, there is always lots of time for catching up over tea and biscuits. We even held the occasional parties at our old venue, the H-Pod, and plan to do so at the Old Diorama as well.
Meetings are now resuming as Covid restrictions are lifted. We gather together monthly on a Wednesday at 2-4 PM. Please do contact us using the details at the bottom if you would like to join us here.
Weekly Zoom meetings
We have one hour social meetings every Tuesday, 2 PM, on Zoom. These began under lockdown but have proved very popular so will continue after restrictions end.Â
Also, when something important comes up, we can hold extra discussion meetings on Zoom. We did this recently, for example, to discuss the NICE recommendations on the treatment of chronic pain.
WhatsApp group
Our lively and friendly WhatsApp group helps members keep in touch, share information and have a laugh.
Monthly newsletter
Group activities, related events, useful information, tips and recommendations – all of these feature in our monthly newsletter. We also have fun features about our pets and gadgets.
Patient Advocacy
Members of the group have been actively involved in speaking up for chronic pain sufferers. We have provided a lived experience of chronic pain perspective to various NHS bodies. We made a submission to the NICE about its chronic pain guidelines and were recognised as official stakeholders. We recently addressed the Royal Society of Medicine about the lived experience of spinal pain in the workplace.
CamPain Video
If you'd like an overview of what we do and what we've learnt, please do watch the video of our webinar presentation about CamPain, hosted by Footsteps Festival 2021.
Meet the Organisers
Our volunteer co-organisers
Mark Agathangelou
CamPain Co-organiser
A sports injury left Mark with long-term, chronic neuropathic pain. After attending a pain management programme, he got involved in setting up this group to help people with pain help themselves and each other.
He now is actively involved in NHS lived experience roles with Camden and North Central London CCG.
He is also lived experience partner with the NHS England Best MSK Lived Experience Group and NHSEI Experience of Care team.
Mark has been DBS checked and approved.
Rachel Bonnington
CamPain Co-organiser
Since becoming a group organiser in 2020, Rachel has made huge impact, bringing her organisational, technical and scientific skills to bear for the benefit of the group.
She was instrumental in setting up the website and took the lead on our group response to the NICE guidelines on treating chronic pain.
She is now working in public engagement with a major medical science body.
Stephen Lee
CamPain Co-organiser
Forced to step down from his career in retail and as a baker by persistent pain, Stephen is passionate about supporting people with long-term pain to do the things they enjoy and which give them fulfilment, including meaningful work.
A founder member of the group, Stephen has channelled his desire to help others, into becoming a Mental Health Peer Coach with Camden and Islington Foundation Trust and the St Pancras Mental Health Assessment Centre.
Stephen is DBS checked and approved.
