PainChek® is a clinically validated pain assessment tool initially designed to improve pain management for individuals with moderate to severe dementia in aged care settings. Using a combination of AI technology, facial analysis, and the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), PainChek® detects pain cues even when they are not overtly obvious. With a strong reputation across the industry, PainChek® has facilitated over 4.1 million clinical assessments in aged care facilities worldwide.

To explore the full cost benefits from the implementation of PainChek® and inform national strategic planning, an independent assessment of the tool was undertaken by a team from Edinburgh Napier University (ENU) between July 2024 and April 2025.

Overall, the evaluation concluded that PainChek® shows promise as a tool to enhance pain management in Scottish care homes by improving pain assessment and potentially leading to better medication management and quality of life for residents. However, the final report recommended that further research, particularly on cost-benefits along with addressing implementation barriers, is crucial for making informed decisions about its wider rollout.

The Edinburgh Napier University evaluation team would like to acknowledge the support of Nicky Cronin, David Marshall and Nicola McCardle from the Care Inspectorate for facilitating the desk review phase and the successful coordination of the field phase of this project.