Support for patients with long term pain 

A new opportunity for patients living with long term pain

We are inviting patients who are living with long term pain or long term health conditions to take part in an online health and wellbeing programme, which aims to support them to manage their health challenges. 

The HEAL programme is an 11 week course, which starts on Thursday 25th September, taking place from 11am to 1pm each week (with a one week break for half term.) The programme is free for Frome Medical Practice patients to join. 

Over the 11 weeks patients will learn about taking care of their health in 5 simple ways, including healthy eating, engaging in movement, awareness and mindfulness, connection and sleeping better. 

The programme is delivered online by the Breathworks Foundation, a charity experienced in supporting people living with chronic pain and other long term conditions. 

Dr Helen Kingston, one of our GPs explains more, “Living with long term pain and long term health conditions can be challenging and exhausting. We are really pleased we can now offer patients another opportunity to learn how to make small changes, which can improve their overall health and wellbeing and how they feel.” 

“We’ve been working with Breathworks over the past few months and, as part of our focus on staff health and wellbeing, many of the team were able to participate in the programme ourselves. Those who attended reported feeling less pain, sleeping better, worrying less, having more energy and feeling happier. We hope many of our patients can now benefit in the same way.” 

A previous participant of the programme said, “I found the weekly group really supportive and the focus on making small changes really helped me to make those changes stick. The course has given me great tools to help me stay focused on my wellbeing when life is busy or stressful.”  Another said, “I feel much better than I have ever felt, even before my diagnosis. It is as if learning how to live with pain has given me tools to use fruitfully in the rest of my life. I can honestly say I feel happier than ever before.” 

Patients wishing to take part in the programme or who would like to find out more can email Breathworks directly. Please visit their Contact Us page and you can email directly from there. Limited places are available. 

As well as the HEAL programme, our patients can also access other support for living with pain, including the Live Well With Pain programme and the monthly Pain Cafe. Further information is available here. 

Published: Aug 29, 2025