Chronic pain

Chronic pain is defined as daily pain for a period of three months or more in the past six months.

One in five Australians, including children and adolescents, will experience chronic pain in their lifetime and up to 80 per cent of people living with chronic pain are missing out on treatment that could improve their health and quality of life.

A National Pain Strategy has been developed which argues that there are vast gains to be made in the management of chronic pain through prevention, community awareness, early intervention and better access to pain management services.

A new Model of Care for Chronic Pain Management in South Australia has also been developed and implemented to ensure people in South Australia experiencing chronic pain receive fully integrated pain management services across the community, primary, secondary and tertiary sectors.

The Model of Care for Chronic Pain Management in South Australia aims at improving the delivery of pain management services to South Australians by delivering:

• A state-wide referral pathway to improve access to services and reduce waiting list times
• Improved integration of interdisciplinary care and services across all levels
• Improved operational capacity
• A blueprint through which to improve collaborative and effective working relationships between the primary, secondary and tertiary health systems, particularly in regard to planning future services, data collection and reporting
• Greater awareness by consumers and health professionals about chronic pain, treatment options and how to access services.

Managing chronic pain

For people experiencing persistent pain, it is important to recognise and address it as early as possible in order to reduce the risk of developing chronic pain. Self-management and primary care services can help improve the quality of life of most people experiencing chronic pain without having to attend specialist hospital services.

A recent survey undertaken by SA Health showed that around 20% of the respondents did not access any local services to manage their chronic pain and less than 5% of people with chronic pain reported using any online self-management resources to manage their condition. 

A range of free and low cost, easily accessible pain management resources are available to help South Australians better manage their condition, including:

• Local programs and resources
• Toolkits for self-help
• High quality online pain resources

If you suffer from severe pain, your GP may refer to or seek advice from a specialist service.

Community-based pain management programs

The Living Well with Persistent Pain program is offered to patients at no cost, and utilises local primary health care workforce to support patients in their pain management in the community. It provides a holistic self-management course, case coordination, group sessions and one-on-one allied health services.

Northern Region — Living Well and Persistent Pain program

Telephone: (08) 8289 1222 - Emily
Fax: (08) 8289 1255
Website: www.adelaidephn.com.au
Email: painprogramnorth@adelaidephn.com.au

Central Western Region — Living Well with Persistent Pain program

Telephone: (08) 8440 5200 - Tania
Fax: (08) 8440 5299
Website: www.adelaidephn.com.au
Email: painprogramwest@adelaidephn.com.au

Services:

• Individual support services
• Group pain management programs.

Staff:

• GPs
• physiotherapists
• dieticians
• pharmacists
• pain educators
• psychologists.
• exercise physiologist.

Public hospital services

For those suffering from more severe chronic pain conditions, SA Health offers a range of hospital-based pain management services:

Central Adelaide Local Health Network Pain Management Unit

Address: Level 2B North-East Building, Queen Elizabeth Hospital 28 Woodville Road, Woodville South SA 5011
Telephone: (08) 8222 7826
Fax: (08) 8222 7949
Website: CALHN Pain Management Unit
Email:  calhnpainunit@sa.gov.au

Services:

• Multidisciplinary pain management (pain medicine physician, psychiatry, physiotherapy, psychology, nursing)
• Interventional non-cancer and cancer pain management
• Inpatient pain management consultant liaison
• Individual Allied Health therapy
• Individual medical assessment
• Educational modules lectures
• Group pain management programs
• Multidisciplinary country outreach service
• Northern Territory Outreach
• Accredited FPM training site
• Accepts state-wide referrals.

Staff:

• Medical Practitioners including Pain Specialists, Psychiatrists, and other relevant Specialists
• Physiotherapy
• Psychology
• Nursing
• Administration

Southern Adelaide Local Health Network Pain Management Unit

Address: Flinders Drive, Bedford Park SA 5042
Telephone: (08) 8204 5499
Fax: (08) 8374 1758
Website: SALHN Pain Management Unit
Email: fmcpmu@sa.gov.au 

Services:

• Multidisciplinary pain management (pain medicine physician, psychiatry, physiotherapy, psychology, nursing)
• Interventional non-cancer and cancer pain management
• Inpatient pain management consultant liaison
• Individual Allied Health Therapy
• Individual medical assessment
• Educational modules lectures
• Group pain management programs
• Multidisciplinary country outreach service
• Diagnostic testing and procedures
• State centre for implantable pain devices
• Accredited FPM training site
• Accepts state-wide referrals.

Staff:

• Medical Practitioners including Pain Specialists, Psychiatrists, and other relevant Specialists
• Physiotherapy
• Psychology
• Nursing
• Administration

Northern Adelaide Local Health Network Pain Rehabilitation Service

Address: C/- the Specialist Ambulatory Rehabilitation Centre, Cnr Smart Road and Hatheleigh Ave Modbury 5092
Telephone: (08) 7321 4133
Email: health.NorthernPainRehabService@health.sa.gov.au
Fax: (08)7321 4170

Services:

• Multidisciplinary pain management (pain medicine physician, psychiatry, physiotherapy, psychology, nursing, occupational therapy, nurse practitioner)
• Individual Allied Health Therapy
• Individual medical assessment
• Group pain management programs

Staff:

• Medical Practitioners including Pain Specialists and other relevant Specialists
• Physiotherapy
• Psychology
• Occupational Therapist
• Nursing
• Administration

Women’s and Children’s Hospital Paediatric Chronic Pain Service

Address: Level 1 General Outpatient Clinic, Women’s and Children’s Hospital, 72 King William Street North Adelaide 5006
Telephone: 0481 900 577
Fax: (08) 8161 6246
Website: http://www.wch.sa.gov.au/services/az/other/allied/chronicpain/index.html
Email: Health.PaediatricChronicPainService@sa.gov.au

Services:

• Multidisciplinary pain management assessment (pain management physician, physiotherapy, psychology, occupational therapy, nursing, clinical coordinator)
• Individual Allied Health Therapy
• Joint Allied Health therapy (to parent and child separately when appropriate)

• Individual medical assessment.

Staff:

• Medical Practitioners including Pain Physician and other relevant Specialists
• Physiotherapy
• Psychology
• Occupational Therapist
• Nursing
• Administration

Private hospital services

Complex Injury Group

Address: 186 Melbourne Street, North Adelaide SA 5006
Telephone: (08) 8267 6499
Fax: (08) 8267 6461
Website: http://complexinjurygroup.com.au
Email: cicadm@internode.on.net

Pain Medicine of South Australia

Address: 500 Port Road, Hindmarsh SA 5007
Telephone: (08) 8340 7733
Fax: (08) 8340 4488
Website: Pain Medicine of South Australia