A big week for pain management in Australia

Official launch of National Action Plan

At the Parliamentary Friends of Pain Management Group meeting, the Health Minister Greg Hunt launched the National Strategic Action Plan for Pain Management, after governments at all levels having endorsed it.

For those of us who work in the pain space, and alongside Painaustralia in its 10 years of existence, the announcement by Minister Hunt is a momentous achievement.

Minister Hunt’s announcement means that Australia is the first country in the world to have national adoption of a practical plan to support better pain management.  The NAP was developed in consultation with 25 national organisations and countless individuals and consumers groups, as well as State and Territory Departments of Health.

The final document launched this week closely reflects the 2019 version of the Action Plan, however there are some important changes including the additional action that the Electronic Persistent Pain Outcomes Collaboration (ePPOC) collects data on paediatric specialist pain services  to inform the development of such education programs.

Another new action is the exploration of the development of “transitional pain clinics” in public and private hospitals which would involve engagement of acute/hospital-based services and community care. This would enable early identification and intervention and prevention for consumers experiencing acute pain that are at high risk of transitioning from acute pain to chronic pain.

In a media release, CEO Carol Bennett said:

“The National Strategic Action Plan is a critical step towards improving the quality of life for the millions of Australians who live with chronic pain and every day face the challenges of accessing affordable and specialised pain treatment.

“Of course, this momentous achievement would not have been possible without the foundation laid by Painaustralia’s founding members, The Australian College of Anaesthetists, The Faculty of Pain Medicine, The Pain Foundation and The Australian Pain Society,” Carol Bennett, CEO of Painaustralia said.

Now, as they say, is when the work begins. Implementing the NAP’s actions will not be an easy task and it will take a national effort to achieve.  However, for the first time, chronic pain is now on the national agenda and will provide some significant improvements in the way that pain is managed in Australia

Parliamentary Friends of Pain Management Group

Immediately after Painaustralia’s AGM, the first meeting in 2021 of the Parliamentary Friends of Pain Management Group was held at the Capital Pain and Rehabilitation Clinic in Deakin, which is celebrating 20 years of service to the Canberra community.

Co-chaired by Senator Wendy Askew and Mr David Smith MP, at this meeting the National Action Plan for Pain Management was endorsed and Senator Askew launched the updated National Pain Services Directory.

Ged Kearney, Shadow Assistant Health Minister spoke on behalf of the ALP. She talked to her experience of managing chronic pain as a nurse and the need to prioritise the condition given its impact and prevalence. 

Mr David Smith MP, l member for the electorate of Bean, closed out the proceedings. He highlighted the importance of consumers, Painaustralia and all those living with chronic pain to hold those in government to account in making sure the NAP is implemented.

All three highlighted the importance of addressing chronic pain not just due to the economic cost it has on the Australian economy, but more importantly because of the impact it has on an individual’s quality of life.

Consumer Perspectives

We were delighted to hear from our latest Pain Champion Tara Moss who joined us live online from Canada and were also privileged to hear the journeys of two of our consumers who live with chronic pain: 31-year-old Megan Kuleas from Canberra and our consumer representative on our board Director, Sister Mary-Lynne Cochrane 

All three spoke of their appreciation for Painaustralia’s work and the launch of the updated Pain Services Directory, while each shared their individual stories about living with chronic pain.

Tara’s presentation highlighted the need for an individualised approach to managing her chronic pain. She made special mention of how medicinal cannabis has helped her manage her condition and how Australia is falling behind countries such as Canada in integrating medicinal cannabis into a mainstream pain management strategy.

Sister Mary‑Lynne shared her story and extensive experience as a consumer and health system reform advocate. In the context of her role as the consumer representative director on Painaustralia’s board, she noted that the NAP was a great achievement but now it is important for Government to show its commitment to implementing it.

Megan’s heartfelt presentation shared her individual struggle with chronic pain and the various conditions she lives with.  She spoke about the invisible nature of the condition and how most people, looking at her from the outside, do not understand the internal struggles she faces in dealing with chronic pain.

All who spoke at the meeting –parrliamentarians, consumers, pain champions alike – all echoed the importance of doing more for people living with chronic pain and how the NAP will provide the roadmap for Australia to do this.

Launch of the Updated National Pain Services Directory

People who live with chronic pain will now find it easier to find alternative holistic treatments with the launch today at the Parliamentary Friends meeting of the new look and improved National Pain Services Directory (NPSD).

Senator Askew said during the launch that “the directory provides a comprehensive list of more than 200 pain clinics who treat all types of pain conditions and can help consumers and GPs to find help from every region across Australia.”

The NPSD has had 52,000 unique views since its inception in 2019 which means that around 1700 people on average are accessing it every month.

Annual General Meeting

Painaustralia’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) was held on 18 May 2021 and this was especially significant for the organisation and for people living with chronic pain.  Below are key items from Painaustralia’s 2021 AGM reporting on the year 2020 and our Parliamentary Friends of Pain Management Group event on the day.

Constitutional changes

Painaustralia’s current constitution was written in 2011 and has not been comprehensively reviewed since that time. At this meeting, Painaustralia sought and gained approval from its members for the adoption of an amended constitution, which will take effect from 1 July 2021.