ROGER McKENZIE argues that Africa's ultimate liberation depends on its ability to decolonise itself including the redrawing of its present national borders imposed by Europe
Error message
An error occurred while searching, try again later.Painful instructions
Chronic-pain patients are worried about new guidelines that are re-categorising their conditions and potentially limiting their access to vital treatments, reports RUTH HUNT

FOR those who suffer from untreated chronic pain it can make every minute and every hour a herculean task to get through. It can trap them inside, isolated and often in bed.
So, when effective pain relief is found, which enables the person to break free from the bedroom-cell, it’s not surprising the thought of it being removed causes anguish.
That explains why there is so much consternation about the recent intervention by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) regarding how the NHS should treat chronic pain, in particular pain that has an unclear cause.
More from this author

PROFESSOR LINDA GASK spoke to Ruth Hunt from her home in Orkney about her new book, Out of Her Mind: How We Are Failing Women’s Mental Health and What Must Change

RUTH F HUNT recommends a collection of short stories that transform poverty into something that’s often tender and profound

Could the overstretched system for mental health service users be supplemented by day centres? RUTH HUNT considers the options

As concerns are being expressed about police involvement in drawing up and delivering mental health crisis plans, RUTH HUNT looks at the troubling facts