Principal Project Officer and Physiotherapist Jay Whittem
An outreach support program is giving chronic pain patients in Gympie and the hinterland a new lease on life.
Sunshine Coast Health’s Persistent Pain Management Service has expanded to deliver face-to-face support in more locations.
“We’re using the Local Area Needs Assessment to understand where the areas of greatest needs are on the Sunshine Coast and then we can deliver care closer to their home,” said Principal Project Officer and Physiotherapist Jay Whittem.
The Persistent Pain Management Service is based out of Nambour General Hospital, with patients in other areas of the Sunshine Coast Health region previously able to access support via telehealth.
The service is now offered in-person at Gympie Hospital, Caloundra Health Service and Maleny Soldiers Hospital.
“The feedback we’ve got from patients is that they’re extremely grateful and we are seeing higher engagement so far,” said Mr Whittem.
The multi-disciplinary team is running group programs including a two-hour intensive session, as well as a chronic pain assessment and rehabilitation service, which is a five-week program, with three hours of person-centred care a week.
“We understand where they want to go and really try to get them back doing things they value and once they’re doing that, we start to see that pain gradually ease, so it really is about return to function.”
Persistent Pain Physiotherapist Tim Bagshaw said the team includes doctors, physiotherapists, psychologists, nurses, occupational therapists and a peer worker with lived experience.
“We’re trying to give people a better understanding of their pain and hopefully a lot of different things they can do to help themselves with their pain going forward,” Mr Bagshaw said.
“I’ve been really amazed at the difference we’re seeing the program make for patients, it’s really changing lives.”
“A lot of these people have been very socially isolated and they’ve been able to reengage in life - we’ve got a couple of people back to tennis even!”
Peer support workers are running social groups for graduates of the five-week program, to help participants maintain connection with other people on similar pain journeys.
The teams are also involved in educating other clinicians who may be providing chronic pain support, as well as operating an advice line for GPs in the community.
Elizabeth Melidonis’ story
Elizabeth Melidonis said the Persistent Pain Management Service has helped her learn how to push past her pain and embrace a more active lifestyle.
Suffering from fibromyalgia syndrome, osteoarthritis and back problems, she believed she would always need the dose of pain medications she had been on.
“When I first came here I was talking to the nurse and I was crying and saying ‘I won’t be able to manage without it’,” Elizabeth said.
“But since then, I’ve gone down half of my medication and I’m managing pretty well, and able to play tennis again, so that’s a big thing for me,” she said.
“Tim’s encouraged me a lot to exercise and walk, I’ve been playing with my great grandchildren.”
“I’m very grateful.”