Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with the (a) Welsh Government, (b) Scottish Government and (c) Northern Ireland Assembly members about supporting the provision of the Escape Pain programme in all nations of the UK.

Health is a devolved matter, and no discussions have taken place between ministers and the devolved administrations of Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland about the Escape Pain programme.

Escape Pain is a group-based, six week rehabilitation programme which combines exercise and education to help patients manage chronic joint pain using exercise and coping techniques. The programme is endorsed by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, and has received Best Practice Awards from the British Society of Rheumatology and Royal Society of Public Health.

The programme, which is running at over 30 sites across England, can be provided in physiotherapy departments, the community and places of work, and lessons can also be accessed via an app that is free to download.