Share your experiences of chronic pain and Long COVID
- Written by: Audrey Birt — Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland — Associate Director and Angela Donaldson-Bruce, Scotland Director, the ALLIANCE
- Published: 22nd February 2021
Audrey and Angela want to hear from you.
We’ve long campaigned for the importance of people with lived experience influencing policy and practice. And both of us have had deep satisfaction from enabling these voices to be heard in a variety of ways. Very recently our focus has turned to chronic pain, not least because of Audrey’s own spinal cord damage as a result of a benign growth and living with breast cancer, and the years that Angela has lived with rheumatoid arthritis. Consequently we both experience significant pain daily.
Pain research
We are now part of a national committee – the NRS Pain/SPaRC (this link will take you away from our website) – that guides research into chronic pain. This research recognises the complexity of what chronic pain represents and now wants to ensure the people with lived experience also help to influence the focus on this work.
In 2021 it’s never long till COVID-19 is mentioned when we join together, and our first SPaRC meeting was no different. This winter, lockdown has had a devastating effect on so many, but of course so has the condition itself. Research is looking at the physical and emotional impact of the pandemic and what’s known now as Long COVID. But what about pain and indeed for those with Long COVID, chronic pain and COVID-19? Our sense was this could well be an issue but as yet we aren’t sure. We know headaches and joint pain are an issue initially with this virus. And for some they do continue. What causes this pain, is it a inflammatory process, is it neurological, how does it show up in Long COVID, how might it be helped and can we predict the at risk?
We are keen to speak to people who have Long COVID and recognise that pain is part of it. Would you be willing to tell us your story? Please email Audrey at audrey.birt@alliance-scotland.org.uk or Angela at A.Donaldson-Bruce@versusarthritis.org.
End of page.
You may also like:
Cornell explores how we can build an environmental human rights-based culture
Continue readingLouise Coupland, Digital Health and Social Care Programme Manager shares her opinions on the national roll out of MyCare.scot.
Continue readingChris Mackie, Director of Digital, looks back at how ALISS has developed, grown, and innovated over time.
Continue readingCrohn’s and Colitis care in Scotland is at a pivotal moment. Urgent action is needed to tackle delays and poor access to vital services
Continue readingThe ALLIANCE’s Lewis Shaw reflects on the importance of rehabilitation support.
Continue readingIsabella Goldie of Deafblind Scotland reflects on the value of partnership work.
Continue readingFind out more about the inaugural Power of Attorney Day taking place on 22 April 2026.
Continue readingDr Hannah Tweed reflects on 20 years of the Scottish Sensory Hub, the important work they do and why it matters.
Continue readingAs part of our 20 year anniversary, Kerry shares her reflections on how far the ALLIANCE has come, our achievements, and our impact.
Continue readingIn her latest TFN column, our Chief Officer Sara Redmond reflects on 20 years since Scotland moved to put children at the centre of policy.
Continue readingCancer care in Scotland is at a critical moment. Macmillan is calling for urgent action ahead of the parliamentary elections in May
Continue readingMhairi Campbell reflects on Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) not being recognised as having a severe impact on life.
Continue readingLucy Mulvagh shares how she used the Centre for Public Policy Practice Fellowship to examine prevention and its barriers to implementation
Continue readingLaura from Perth and Kinross HSCP shares how we can celebrate World Social Work Day through the lens of 'What Matters To You?'.
Continue readingReflections on the Children (Withdrawal from Religious Education) Bill
Continue readingLouise Hall from Pain Association Scotland reflects on the event she delivered as part of Self Management Week 2025.
Continue readingAct Now for Autistic Rights calls for a transformative Bill for autistic and neurodiverse communities
Continue readingIn the next decade, the role of digital in health and social care must embed our digital human rights principles to reduce inequalities.
Continue readingRead some reflections from ALLIANCE colleagues, who had the opportunity to sponsor and attend Scotland's Annual Human Rights Conference.
Continue reading“Our Collective Voice” is a hopeful vision for the next five years, and I encourage ALLIANCE members to bring it into their own campaigns.
Continue readingBy standing together, we can help ensure that everyone in Scotland has access to the compassionate, high quality palliative care.
Continue readingALLIANCE Scottish Sensory Hub Manager Dr Hannah Tweed reflects on the launch of the BSL network for public bodies.
Continue readingSimone Janse van Rensburg reflects on the impact of their Women Living Well event which featured as part of Self Management Week 2025.
Continue readingThe ALLIANCE’s Women’s Health Lived Experience Group reflect on their input to Phase 2 of the Scottish Government’s Women’s Health Plan.
Continue readingWellbeing Scotland’s Chief Clinical Officer Ashleigh Ronald highlights why we must shift stigmatising narratives around child abuse.
Continue reading