Persistent Pain Management

Conditions

Persistent Pain Management Service

PPMS are for complex persistent pain patients who require a multidisciplinary approach for the management of their pain. PPMS expect patients to take an active role in learning self-management techniques and to have a general practitioner who remains central to the supervision of their care.

Please consider if the goal of referral to a PPMS is aligned with the treatment goals of persistent pain management.  These are specifically to improve management of pain, improve function and improve quality of life overall.  The approach is primarily a rehabilitative approach.

PPMS are not primarily diagnostic services.

All patients being referred to this service should:

• have persistent pain resulting in functional impairment from physical disability and/or psychosocial issues
• have persistent pain that has been thoroughly investigated; and
• have referrals accompanied by all relevant investigations and specialist reports
• all patients being referred to this service should be able to provide valid consent or have a substitute decision maker who can do so on their behalf if needed.

GP Persistent Pain advice

GPs can now access advice from a Pain Medicine Specialist for medical advice and clinical questions regarding patients with persistent pain via the Clinical Advice Line (1800 569 099), Tuesday – Friday 9:00am – 12:00pm. Please see Clinical Advice Line for patient eligibility details.

Please prepare the required information prior to your call:

• Patient name and date of birth
• Significant history, co morbidities, and medications
• Presenting complaint, relevant examination findings
• Reason for enquiry

If you have an urgent request outside of these hours, please call the RBWH switch board (07) 3646 8111 and ask to speak with the Persistent Pain Management Service on-call registrar or consultant.
GPs can also seek non urgent advice from a Pain Medicine Specialist via the Request for Advice function in GP Smart Referrals please see Clinical Advice Line for details regarding patient eligibility.

Out of scope services

Not all services are funded in the Queensland public health system. The following are not routinely provided in a public Persistent Pain Management service.

• Patients who can be well managed in primary care (using appropriate guidelines where necessary).
• Previous Queensland Health Persistent Pain Management Service (PPMS) patients who have not followed management recommendations unless there are extenuating circumstances or new issues.
• Previous Queensland Health PPMS patients who have completed the pain management pathway / programs and for whom no new management approaches are available (within previous 12 months).
• Patients undergoing treatment from other specialist services for the same pain problem without mutual awareness / agreement of cross referral by both teams.
• Patients with untreated and unstable mental health conditions.
• Patients with a cognitive impairment of sufficient severity that would affect the ability to self-manage their condition unless they have a carer or primary care clinician that is willing and able to assist with pain management recommendations.
• Patients that have unstable, non-therapeutic drug dependence without concurrent treatment by a drug and alcohol specialist.
• Indefinite referrals are not accepted

Specialists list