The PEACS Project

The PEACS (Pain: Equality of Care and Support in the Community) service was an innovative approach to chronic pain management that adopted the bio-psycho-social model, delivered by King’s Health Partners Mind & Body Programme in collaboration with the StockWellBeing Primary Care Network in Lambeth.

Context and challenges

Chronic pain affects approximately 34% of UK adults and has profound impacts beyond physical discomfort, influencing employment, mental health, and quality of life. The burden falls disproportionately on certain populations, with women, people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, and Black communities experiencing higher prevalence rates. Traditional medical approaches often fail to address the complex interplay of physical, psychological, and social factors that influence chronic pain.

Goals of our work

The Tavistock Institute conducted an independent evaluation of PEACS between July 2022 and December 2024, seeking to assess:

• The development and implementation of the service across five GP practices
• The impact on participants’ experience and health outcomes
• The impact on the wider healthcare system effects, including healthcare utilisation and costs
• The feasibility of replicating the intervention across other Primary Care Networks

What we did

We adopted a developmental and theory-driven mixed-methods approach that combined both quantitative and qualitative elements, including

• Observations of intervention workshops
• Interviews and focus groups with participants, staff and stakeholders
• Analysis of participant surveys and health assessments
• Review of healthcare utilisation data, including GP appointments and medication use
• Cost-utility analysis to assess value for money

What we found

The PEACS service demonstrated notable success in engaging traditionally underserved populations, with the majority of participants across project cycles and levels of engagement being from Black backgrounds and the proportion of Black participants increasing from Year 1 to Year 2.

Key outcomes included:

• Improved self-management: Participants showed statistically significant reductions in pain catastrophising scores and improvements in physical health measures.
• Reduced healthcare utilisation: Long-term follow-up showed 58% of participants reduced GP visits and 48% reduced medication use over 12 months.
• Cost-effectiveness: The programme demonstrated good value for money, with cost per Quality Adjusted Life Year falling within NICE’s acceptable range.
• Social connection: Over two-thirds of participants reported feeling less isolated as a result of the programme, with community engagement activities seeing sixfold increase in year 2.

The report

This comprehensive evaluation report provides detailed analysis of PEACS’ development, implementation, outcomes, and potential for replication. It offers insights for healthcare professionals, commissioners, and policymakers interested in addressing health inequalities, particularly for those working with chronic pain management in diverse communities.

Key findings suggest the bio-psycho-social approach adopted by PEACS effectively balanced reducing unnecessary healthcare utilisation while improving access for previously underserved groups. The report highlights both the successes and challenges encountered, providing practical recommendations for future implementations.

Download report