Explaining somatic symptom disorder and a collaborative pain plan — CASC communication station

Station brief

Format. Communication station, approximately 7–10 minutes after reading time. You are the C-L psychiatry registrar. Medical work-up to date is non-diagnostic for a single explanatory disease; red-flag review is negative today. [1][2]

Candidate instructions. Validate experience; apologise for dismissive language if needed; explain SSD/health-anxiety amplification in plain language without saying “imaginary”; outline a collaborative plan (scheduled reviews, CBT, mood treatment, activity, opioid caution); agree when further tests would be reconsidered; check understanding. [2][3][4]