Our work

Read our annual report:

• Pain and Palliative Care Forum Annual Report 2023

• Read our Mouthcare resource: Project Completion and Evaluation report

• Mouth Care During End of Life Care: Keeping the mouth clean, moist and comfortable (2023). This resource focuses on providing mouth care during the end-of-life stage.

• Getting it right every time: Fundamentals of nursing care at the end of life. This guide highlights what is important when caring for a person approaching the end of their life. Whilst there is a focus on care in the last few days, the same caring principles can be applied throughout the last year of life. Please note this publication is under review.

• UK Career Framework for Pain Nurses. There are a range of career pathways available within the nursing workforce and more specifically within pain management. This resource builds on the original pain knowledge and skills document and this updated version now highlights the range of career pathways within pain nursing and minimum recommended education requirements, in addition to knowledge and skills. It provides a guide for pain services and employers to develop local career development frameworks for the nursing workforce. 

What we are currently working on

Learning Disability Pain Assessment Tool (LDPAT)

The RCN Pain and palliative care forum with support from the RCN Learning Disability forum are developing a resource designed to support bridging a major gap in the literature around how to support people with learning disabilities who have pain or are thought to be in pain. It is intended to be available for all in health and social care who work with people with learning disabilities and will improve their quality of life. It will also embrace end of life care, as there is also a gap in this aspect of pain management.