Yes your G.P has to refer you. It helps me a lot as the pain clinic can give you much higher doses, A G.P can only perscibe what the book says or in my G.P's words "The amount of drugs you take arwyn is classed as an over dose".
Also they lent me a Tens machine for a month, they showed me how to use it and when it helped I bought one through them and saved the VAT.
They also can give you a MRI scan and see if an operation might help you.
I have Arthritis in loads of parts of my spine, it started in my teens and I have now just turned 50.
The list goes on on how they help you. Honest March-hare my first appointment lasted 90mins and He was shocked at how little care I'd been giving..