Now available: SIP Session Report!
SIP hosted a well-attended, immersive, dedicated session on ‘Pain and Mental Health: Can Healthcare Professionals and Patients Have a Societal Impact?‘
The session, moderated by SIP Co-Chair Patrice Forget, Lars Bye Møller, Katy Antonopoulou, and Marta Bartnicka, explored the biopsychosocial dimensions of pain and mental health, exploring the dual relationship between pain and mental health and how both communities can influence change at the societal level.
Key messages from the session included:
Pain and Mental Health Are Interconnected: Chronic pain and mental health issues often form a reinforcing loop, making diagnosis and treatment complex and personal. Individualised care is essential.
Policy Can Be a Catalyst: SIP’s advocacy strategy—presented by Marta Bartnicka—demonstrated how policy engagement can lead to real impact. Out of 40 SIP-proposed amendments to the European Mental Health Report, over 25 were successfully included.
Patient Inclusion Matters: Testimonies from Lars Bye Møller and Katy Antonopoulou reinforced that trust, shared decision-making, and the validation of lived experiences are key to better outcomes and societal change.
Addressing Patient Stigma moving forward: A lively discussion closed the session, where stakeholders, including patients, spoke about how stigma continues to hinder care for chronic pain and invisible conditions, requiring cultural change, inclusive education, and greater validation of patient experiences to break down harmful barriers in healthcare and society.
This workshop reflected the spirit of collaboration that drives both SIP Europe and its National Platforms: aligning top-down and bottom-up efforts to improve pain care policies and bring visibility to chronic pain across the EU.
Find the full report here.