Summit calls for Government action on pain

Posted March 30th 2010

by DPS

More than 130 organisations represented at the National Pain Summit on 11 March backed the world’s first National Pain Strategy and called on the Federal and state governments to implement its recommendations.

The National Pain Strategy is the result of collaboration between leading authorities in pain medicine, other healthcare professionals, industry, funders and consumer groups.

“The Federal Government’s health reform plans must address the issue of chronic pain which is costing the Australian economy $34 billion per annum, not to mention widespread human suffering,” said Professor Michael Cousins, chair of the National Pain Summit.

“The Government has a unique opportunity to capitalise on the work of more than 200 leading authorities and implement far-reaching, innovative reforms.

“Just as governments have made inroads in destigmatising depression, they must now tackle the stigma attaching to another disease afflicting Australia – chronic pain.

“The National Pain Strategy provides a roadmap for action. All that is required is for governments, Federal and state, to show leadership in this critical area.”

In summary, the summit:

Called on the Federal Government to support the formation of national representative body to include all stakeholders in pain management.
Called for recognition of chronic pain as a condition in its own right with access to treatment in the chronic disease model of care.
Called for the introduction of standardised national interdisciplinary pain management networks. These would ensure linkages through all stages of treatment – from prevention of chronic pain, through primary and community care to secondary and complex tertiary care.
Called upon Federal and state governments to back a community-led program to destigmatise chronic pain in the minds of the community and the medical profession.
Through better education, spread the message that a wider range of help – beyond painkillers – is available.
Calls for the introduction of pain as the fifth vital sign along with blood pressure, pulse, temperature and breathing rate. This will give a much needed focus to regular assessment of pain much in the way that temperature charting helps in following the treatment of infection. This mirrors policy of both the United States Veterans Administration health system and the Canadian Council on Health.
Called for a formal coding system for pain in hospitals to allow prevalence and other data to be tracked.