Service overview
Our service, also known as IPASS (Integrated Pain and Spinal Service), supports individuals living with persistent pain or spinal conditions.
If you're affected by spinal issues or ongoing pain, we offer assessments, treatment, and rehabilitation to help you manage your symptoms and improve your quality of life.
Accessing our service
We accept referrals for anyone aged 16 and over who is registered with a GP in West Berkshire. Referrals can be submitted by your GP practice or a specialist consultant. We do not accept self-referrals.
All referrals are reviewed by an advanced practitioner to ensure you receive the right service/ appointment type. If we feel another service, such as physiotherapy, would be more appropriate for you, we may redirect your referral.
Once your referral has been reviewed, you will receive a letter confirming that you are on our waiting list. When we can offer an appointment, you will receive a letter asking you to contact us to book an appointment. Once an appointment is booked, you will receive an appointment confirmation letter confirming all the details.
Healthcare professionals looking to make a referral
Please review our referral criteria and procedure:
IPASS Referral criteria and procedure
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Preparing for a pain assessment
Please carefully check the time and location of your appointment, and allow plenty of time to travel. If you arrive late, we may be unable to see you or complete a full assessment.
Appointments may take place either in person or via video call. If your appointment is virtual, you’ll receive a video link and login instructions ahead of time.
Your first appointment typically lasts around one hour.
Depending on the reason for your referral, during your assessment and future appointments you may see:
- an advanced physiotherapy practitioner (APP) who specialise in spinal injuries and rehabilitation
- a member of our specialist psychology team
- a pain consultant
We have both male and female clinicians within our service. If you have a preference, let us know at the time of booking and we will do our best to meet your request.
The assessment
You and your clinician(s) will discuss your symptoms and medical history. It may be helpful to bring a list of your current medications to your appointment.
You may have a physical assessment. Please wear loose, comfortable clothing and be aware that we may ask that you remove some clothing as part of the assessment.
You will have the opportunity to discuss your condition and ask us any questions. We will then discuss treatment options (including the risks and benefits) and decide together what treatment is right for you. You will also receive information to help manage your condition.
We will write an outcome letter following the appointment. This will summarise the information discussed in the appointment, assessment findings and the plan. This letter will be addressed to you as the patient and we will routinely send a copy to the GP and any other organisations involved in your care.
IPASS Pain follow a biopsychosocial model of assessment which allows us to better understand your symptoms and their impact on your daily life, function and wellbeing.
The following video briefly explains the biopsychosocial model of assessment.
Preparing for a spine assessment
Please carefully check the time and location of your appointment, and allow plenty of time to travel. If you arrive late, we may be unable to see you or complete a full assessment.
Your first appointment typically lasts around 45 minutes.
You and your clinician will discuss your symptoms and medical history. It may be helpful to bring a list of your current medications to your appointment.
You will then have a physical assessment. To help us, we suggest that you wear loose, comfortable clothing. We may ask that you remove some clothing as part of the examination.
You will have the opportunity to discuss your condition and ask us any questions. We will then discuss treatment options (including the risks and benefits) and decide together what treatment is right for you. You will also receive information to help manage your condition.
In some cases, further tests may be required, but we’ll talk to you about these and arrange them when needed.
Managing your health
Chronic pain
Learn about what is chronic pain, why it happens, and practical tips for managing it at home. You can find information on pacing activities, gentle exercise, relaxation techniques, and lifestyle changes, as well as support for conditions like fibromyalgia.
You can also explore local services and websites to help improve your health.
Helpful guides
Before and after your appointment with IPASS, you may find the following resources helpful.
Going for an MRI
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Spinal Stenosis
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Going for an X-Ray
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Nerve Root Irritation
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Low Back Pain
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Neck Pain
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Your e-Health Passport
Your e-Health Passport lets us know what's important to you - from your preferred name and pronouns to how you'd like us to support you and communicate with you.
Learn moreRelated services
Talking Therapies
A free and confidential service offering effective treatment for common mental health problems such as low mood, stress or worry.
Talking Therapies: Go to serviceMusculoskeletal Physiotherapy Outpatients
Treatment plans to manage or improve musculoskeletal conditions, including chronic pain, recovery from surgery, and osteoarthritis.
Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy Outpatients: Go to serviceLong COVID Integrated Service (Berkshire West)
Support for people aged over 12 to manage and improve symptoms of long COVID, also known as post COVID-19 syndrome.
Long COVID Integrated Service (Berkshire West): Go to serviceExternal support
ACI Pain Management Network
The ACI Pain Management Network provides resources to help individuals understand and self-manage chronic pain through active strategies and collaboration with healthcare providers.
TedXAdelaide
A Tedx Talks that explain why things hurt and chronic pain.
Guided practices to help manage pain
Yoga with Joelle's ’10 Minute Yoga for Fibromyalgia’ video is a good starting point. She has a diagnosis of fibromyalgia, so her sessions are suitable for those experiencing chronic pain as they are gentle and encouraging.
Contact us and FAQs
Finchampstead Clinic
Integrated Pain and Spinal Service Our clinics are open from 8.30am to 5pm, Monday to Friday (except on bank holidays).
Contact number: 0118 904 6139 If you have been referred for a spine condition
Alternate contact number: 0118 904 6140 If you have been referred for pain management
Email: IPASS@berkshire.nhs.uk
Location detailsWokingham Hospital
Integrated Pain and Spinal Service Our clinics are open from 8.30am to 5pm, Monday to Friday (except on bank holidays).
Contact number: 0118 904 6139 If you have been referred for a spine condition
Alternate contact number: 0118 904 6140 If you have been referred for pain management
Location detailsBath Road (Reading)
Integrated Pain and Spinal Service Our clinics are open from 8.30am to 5pm, Monday to Friday (except on bank holidays).
Contact number: 0118 904 6139 If you have been referred for a spine condition
Alternate contact number: 0118 904 6140 If you have been referred for pain management
Email: IPASS@berkshire.nhs.uk
Location detailsErlegh House (Reading)
Integrated Pain and Spinal Service Our clinics are open from 8.30am to 5pm, Monday to Friday (except on bank holidays).
Contact number: 0118 904 6139 If you have been referred for a spine condition
Alternate contact number: 0118 904 6140 If you have been referred for pain management
Email: IPASS@berkshire.nhs.uk
Location detailsAdlam Villas (Newbury)
Integrated Pain and Spinal Service Our clinics are open from 8.30am to 5pm, Monday to Friday (except on bank holidays).
Contact number: 0118 904 6139 If you have been referred for a spine condition
Alternate contact number: 0118 904 6140 If you have been referred for pain management
Email: IPASS@berkshire.nhs.uk
Location detailsFrequently asked questions
I have been referred to IPASS. What happens next?
We aim to triage referrals within 48 hours of receiving them. Triage is a process of reviewing the clinical information provided to direct you to the most appropriate assessment pathway and get you the right care as quickly as possible. We may need further information to complete the triage process, and this may cause a delay.
Once a triage decision has been made, you will receive a letter confirming that you are on our waiting list or that you have been referred to another service.
Once we are able to offer you an appointment you will receive a letter asking that you contact us to book your appointment.
You will receive messages from IPASS, such as appointment details and reminders, by post, email, or text, via our digital appointment correspondence (DAC) system.
What if I cannot make my appointment?
If you are unable to make your appointment, you should let us know as soon as possible. You can contact us using the details in our contact card.
If you don’t attend your appointment and don’t contact us within two weeks, or if you don’t attend a second time, we will discharge you back to the care of your GP and you will need another referral.
We may also discharge you if you ask to reschedule your agreed appointment for a third time.
Why has my referral been triaged to another service? How long will I wait?
All referrals received by IPASS are reviewed and triaged to get you the right care as quickly as possible.
Triage decisions are based on the information received on your referral. If you believe this information isn’t right, or there is additional information we should be aware of, please contact your GP surgery who can update us.
Waiting times for different services can vary. Please contact the relevant service directly for an estimate of waiting times.
What is an advanced physiotherapy practitioner (APP) and why am I seeing them?
Advanced physiotherapy practitioners (APPs) are highly experienced and skilled specialists with advanced qualifications in their specific area of practice. They work as part of a wider healthcare team to assess, diagnose, investigate, and treat spinal and pain conditions.
Why have I been sent a questionnaire to complete before my appointment?
We use the information you provide through these questionnaires to gain further insight and understanding about your condition and ensure we are providing you with the most effective and appropriate care.
If you have any difficulties filling in the questionnaire, please let us know before your appointment.
What happens following my assessment?
After your assessment, we will write an outcome letter that will summarise everything discussed in the appointment, our findings, and the plan you have agreed on. This letter will be addressed to you, but we will routinely send a copy to your GP and any other relevant services involved in your care.
I have been referred for further tests, what happens next?
Your advanced physiotherapy practitioner (APP) will let you know during your appointment what you need to do next if further tests are being arranged.
For some investigations, such as MRI scans or nerve conduction studies, you will be sent an appointment letter with the location, time and date. For other tests, such as blood tests and x-rays, you will need to arrange the appointment yourself. X-rays can be performed on a walk-in basis at some locations, but others will ask you to book an appointment.
The results of any scans or tests will be sent to your APP. If you have had more than one type of test, your APP will usually wait until all results are available before letting you know the results.
You will usually receive a call to discuss your test results and onward management plan.
I have previously been seen by IPASS and discharged, but my symptoms have returned. Can I be seen again?
Once you have been discharged by IPASS, we will need another referral from your GP surgery. This is to ensure that we have the most up-to-date medical information to allow safe and effective care to be provided.
We can also help you with
Is there any information for friends, family and carers?
If you’re a family member/carer or you look after someone, there’s practical, financial, and emotional support available to you from a range of local communities and national organisations.
How do I request an interpreter?
We can provide language translation and interpretation support whenever you visit or contact us.
Tell our staff which language you prefer to use, and we will make sure the right communication support is in place for your assessment and treatment. Please let us know as early as possible so we can ensure the appropriate translation or interpreting support is available.
We offer a range of professional services to ensure everyone can understand and be understood:
- telephone interpreting
- video remote interpreting (VRI)
- face‑to‑face interpreting
- written translation
- British Sign Language (BSL) interpreting
How can I get information in an accessible format?
Anyone with a disability, impairment, or sensory loss has the right to receive information in a format that meets their needs. Under the Accessible Information Standard (AIS)—a legal requirement for all health and adult social care providers—we must ensure that people who use our services, including carers and families, can understand the information we provide and communicate effectively with us.
We can offer information in a range of accessible formats, including:
- British Sign Language (BSL)
- large print
- braille
- audio
- easy Read
- text message
- face‑to‑face support with a carer or advocate present
If you need information in any of these formats, please tell a member of our team and we will make sure your communication needs are met.
Are service dogs allowed to my appointment?
Yes. You are welcome to bring your registered service animal, such as a guide dog, hearing dog, medical alert dog, or other trained assistance dog to your appointment.
These animals are recognised as essential support and are permitted in most areas of our services.
To help us prepare, please let the team know before your appointment if you will be attending with a service animal. This allows us to make sure the environment is safe and comfortable for you, your animal, and other patients.
Please note that service animals may not be able to enter certain restricted clinical areas for safety or infection‑control reasons, but we will always work with you to find an appropriate alternative.
Treating our team with respect.
Respect is important.
We will be polite and kind and we expect that you treat our staff in the same way.
Abuse, hate and discrimination against our staff is unacceptable.
We will take strong action against anyone who is verbally, racially, physically, or sexually abusive to them.
This includes contacting the police to prosecute, and stopping future access to our healthcare services.
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