About Us

Like most small charities CPI grew very slowly in its early years. However it should be borne in mind that awareness and understanding of chronic pain 29 years ago was almost close to zero except among healthcare professionals involved in the diagnosis and treatment of chronic pain and obviously among those suffering with this most complex medical condition.  While there is a greater understanding and awareness of the condition today it is still a problem among some healthcare professionals.

Many previous Chairpersons and Governing Body members contributed to the growth and good reputation of CPI as a patient support organisation.  Up to 2007 CPI relied on its own fundraising and also received some funding from a pharmaceutical company.  In 2008 CPI applied for funding to the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government and was successful in securing three year funding to cover core costs. That enabled the organisation to recruit a part time National Coordinator, who is still with the organisation today.  CPI gratefully acknowledges the Scheme to Support National Organisations is funded by the Government of Ireland through the Department of Rural and Community Development 2019-2022.

The most important work carried out by CPI is the workshops on self management which are held Nationwide. The receipt of state funding coupled with increased support from the pharmaceutical and medical device sectors enabled the organisation to expand its workshops and reach out to approximately 500 people with chronic pain each year.  The Governing Body of CPI was strengthened by bringing on board people with specific skills. As a result CPI quickly became recognised as an excellent support organisation and its reputation as a first class patient support group extended right across Europe.

CPI was involved in the setting up of Pain Alliance Europe and was also involved in the first Societal Impact of Pain Symposium (SIP) held in Brussels in 2010 and has been active in subsequent symposia each year ever since. Various CPI Chairperson’s have advocated throughout the years addressing the European Parliament, MEP’s, TD’s, Oireachtas Committee on Health & Children, Department of Health and much more. 

CPI for many years campaigned to have Pain Medicine recognised as a medical specialty and in 2012 supported the Faculty of Pain Medicine, College of Anaesthetists Ireland, in its application to the Medical Council for such recognition. In June 2014 the then Minister for Health, on the recommendation of the Irish Medical Council, signed into law Pain Medicine as a medical specialty. CPI has also campaigned to have Chronic Pain recognised as a disease in its own right and thanks to the trojan work of Prof. Dr, Rolf- Detlef  Treede and his team, chronic pain classified as a disease in June 2018 when the International Classification of Diseases (ICD 11) was published.