A ONE-woman protest over the length of time patients have to wait for pain relief has led to the formation of a new campaign group.

Mary Hawgood, 67, from Durham City, was so angry at being told she would have to wait five months to see a pain specialist that she called a public meeting.

Patients from all over the region attended, and a group - called Campain - has been formed to press for improvements locally and nationally.

Mrs Hawgood said: "Two of the people who contacted me said they had waited for a year. It is appalling." Because she is in such pain, with an inoperable back problem, she reluctantly decided to see an NHS specialist privately.

But the mother-of-five said going private was not an option for everyone and the NHS must be improved.

The group will try to link up with other local, regional and national organisations to put pressure on the Department of Health to improve pain management services.

Last year, an independent report into NHS pain management services highlighted serious deficiencies. She said the wait to see a specialist ranges from four months to well over a year in different parts of the country - often followed by another long wait for the recommended treatment to start.

"Campain will seek to get this period drastically reduced everywhere in the country," she said.

The main causes of the problem seem to be a national shortage of pain specialists and a lack of pain management training for GPs, said Mrs Hawgood.

For more information about the group, ring 0191-386 4395.