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Biography
Wendy is a researcher working on the Pain at Work Trial. The aim of the trial is to determine the feasibility of conducting a definitive cluster randomised controlled trial (cRCT) of the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the Pain at Work (PAW) Toolkit for working-age adults with chronic or persistent pain.
Wendy completed her PhD at the University of Nottingham following an MSc in Health Psychology.
Expertise Summary
Wendy has experience in quantitative research, in particular working with survey data. Also,conducting field observations and using qualitative analysis in behaviour change research. Previously she has worked as a soft tissue therapist and exercise referral specialist for people with chronic conditions.
Skills include epidemiology, statistics, interviewing, Health psychology, motivational interviewing.
Areas of particular interest: chronic pain, frailty, ageing, well-being, health communication, behaviour change, and self-determination theory.
Research Summary
Multicentre pragmatic cluster randomised controlled feasibility trial to assess potential effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the Pain at Work Toolkit in employees with chronic or persistent pain… read more
Recent Publications
BLAKE, H, GIANNOULATOU, M and CHAPLIN, W, 2025. Employees' experiences of chronic pain in the workplace Occupational Medicine. 75(5), 250-255 BLAKE, H, ABBOTT-FLEMING, V, CHAPLIN, WJ, WAINWRIGHT, E, TAYLOR, G, MCNAMEE, P, MCWILLIAMS, D, WALSH, D and WALKER-BONE, K, 2025. Establishing proof-of-concept for the pain-at-work toolkit: a digital intervention to support people at work with chronic pain. In: EDULEARN25 Proceedings. https://doi.org/10.21125/edulearn.2025.0218. 522-526
Current Research
Multicentre pragmatic cluster randomised controlled feasibility trial to assess potential effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the Pain at Work Toolkit in employees with chronic or persistent pain (the PAW trial)
Background: Chronic or persistent pain affects around 28 million adults in the UK, reducing quality of life and people's ability to work or be productive at work. Sickness absence and reduced productivity costs the UK economy £73 billion per year. Access to work advice and support for people living with pain is variable. Most people with chronic pain do not receive work advice through healthcare services, and employers do not routinely provide education or support for people with chronic pain. The Pain at Work (PAW) Toolkit (Greaves et al, 2021; Blake et al, 2022) aims to equip people who have pain with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to: effectively self-manage a painful condition at work, access help and support, enjoy a better work experience and remain in the workforce. The PAW toolkit was co-created, and pilot tested, with people who have pain, employers, healthcare professionals and a pain charity, Burning Nights. It provides evidence-based education and advice about pain, disability rights, work capacity and adjustments, self-management strategies, and signposting to support.