Australian Pain Society Newsletter
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Editor’s Note
Lincoln Tracy
I know I say this every year, but how can it be December already?! It doesn’t seem like that long ago we were all gathered in Darwin for the ASM – and now it’s nearly the end of the year.
This edition of the eNewsletter features an interesting report from Sinan Tejani, our Tasmanian Director, about a recent event in the Apple Isle that focused on persistent pelvic pain. The multidisciplinary event, run in collaboration with the APS and Pelvic Pain Victoria, was an exceptionally productive platform for knowledge sharing. I was particularly encouraged to hear of the discussions regarding establishing an independent pelvic pain organisation in Tasmania, which seems like an incredible outcome.
Jules Richards provides a glowing review of the Pain School for Translation and Research (painSTAR), which was held in the beautiful Barossa Valley last month. I was certainly jealous following along with everything that was happening at painSTAR online – and that’s not just because I’m an avid enjoyer of a South Australian red – but because of the connections you can form from events like this. I still hold many fond memories of my time at the North American Pain School back in 2017, and I feel a similar appreciation from Jules’ report.
You can also catch up on the recent state-based social events, which sounded like a resounding success. It’s great to read about so many members taking the opportunity to remain connected throughout the course of the year outside of the traditional conference environment.
Of course, there are also the regular eNewsletter features – reviews and summaries of recent research from the Pain in Childhood Special Interest Group and various members. Thank you to the two SIGs – and to all APS members – for their contributions to the eNewsletter this year, and I encourage everyone to take the opportunity to contribute in a similar fashion next year.
The eNewsletter couldn’t be possible without the support of Jo Harmon, my assistant editor, and Tracy Hallen and Kylie Dark from the APS Secretariat – so I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to these three individuals for another successful year on this front. I would also like to thank the entirety of the APS Board for their ongoing support and encouragement of the eNewsletter team.
I hope you all have a safe and relaxing holiday period with your family and loved ones. Looking forward to seeing everyone again in 2025!
Until next time, Lincoln
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President’s Report
Joyce McSwan
Hello APS Family!
I hope this edition finds you well and ready to embrace the spring and summer seasons! It’s hard to believe that the festive season is already just around the corner.
As I reflect on the year, I’m thrilled by the many opportunities I've had to represent our diverse APS community. These past couple of months have been packed, and I’m excited to share some highlights with you.
First off, we’ve officially launched our Mentorship Program! Members who expressed interest have been paired up as mentors and mentees in this pilot round. It’s so inspiring to see members stepping up to support each other. We look forward to hearing their feedback and continuing to enhance the benefits of an APS membership.
In collaboration news, the APS has been proud to support our colleagues at the Faculty of Pain Medicine on the Australian Standards for Health Practitioner Pain Management Education. Several APS Directors joined state workshops to contribute, and it’s wonderful to see this project taking shape.
Our GP members play a vital role in the APS, and some of our directors attended the HealthEd Medical Update Days in Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney to represent the society and share our work. The feedback from GPs was fantastic – there’s a strong need for support in practical pain management, and we’re excited to launch educational podcasts and webinars for GPs throughout 2025 in collaboration with HealthEd.
Recently, Mrs Giulia Jones stepped down as CEO of Painaustralia, and I want to thank her for her contributions. As Ms Monica Boogs steps into this role, we wish her every success and look forward to working with her towards our shared vision for pain management.
On November 27 I attended a Parliamentary event with Chronic Pain Australia, advocating for better access to pain management in primary care. With long wait times to get into pain programs within tertiary centres, it’s crucial that we expand support for those with persistent pain. I’m also honoured to be part of the new Primary Health Network Collective Working Group for Chronic Pain, pushing for improved earlier access and adequate funding models that are sustainable.
Looking ahead, planning for our Annual Scientific Meeting (ASM) in Melbourne in 2025 is in full swing! We received an incredible number of topical session proposals driven this year by our membership, and the Rising Star Award was hotly contested. We’re delighted that Professor Andrew Rice, IASP President, will be joining us, which will make this event even more special. And the social events will be a fantastic chance to connect and build that unique APS camaraderie!
Recently, our Scientific Program Committee gathered to finalise plans for the 2025 ASM and even began preparations for 2026. A huge thanks to Professor Kevin Keay, the SPC team, our wonderful APS Board Directors, and our volunteers on various committees and staff, including Tracy, Kylie, and Alex with the DCC&A team. You’ve all made this year a success.
Wishing you and your loved ones a safe, healthy holiday season and a wonderful start to 2025!
With gratitude, Joyce
McSwan
REGISTRATIONS NOW OPEN!
Get in early and secure your place at Australia’s only multidisciplinary conference offering insights into the complex nature of pain management from a variety of medical, nursing, research, and allied health perspectives.
Please click here to register Considering the benefits of APS membership?
Should you have any queries about the conference, please contact the Conference Secretariat We look forward to welcoming you to Pullman Melbourne Albert Park, VIC.
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PROGRAM NOW AVAILABLE
2025 will bring us more challenges in the IASP Global Year about Pain Management, Research and Education in Low- and Middle-income Settings
You can look forward to an extensive program including seven pre-conference workshops, plenary sessions including international keynote speakers and national leaders in the field of pain, 24 topical sessions, and three social functions.
Yes, that’s right – 24 topical sessions!
Thanks to a record number of submissions received, the APS is delighted to confirm the ASM program in 2025 has been extended to include an additional stream of concurrent topical sessions.
The program will run until 5pm on Wednesday afternoon – ensuring delegates have access to more content, more speakers, and more opportunities to connect than ever before.
Follow the links to start planning your conference experience today!
Program Overview
Keynote Speakers
Pre-Conference Workshops
Topical Concurrent Sessions
Social Program
For information on APS 2025 visit the conference website.
We look forward to welcoming you to Melbourne, VIC!
LATE BREAKING ABSTRACT CALL
Did you miss your chance to submit your abstract for inclusion at APS 2025 in Melbourne? Finalised your research only after the original abstract deadline?
If yes, don’t despair!
This late breaking research call is your last opportunity to submit an abstract for the 2025 conference!
Take up this opportunity and have your work featured as a poster presentation at the only multidisciplinary conference in Australia and New Zealand offering insights into the complex nature of pain management from a variety of medical, nursing, and allied health perspectives.
Abstracts can be submitted between Tuesday 28 January – Monday 3 February 2025. All accepted authors must register for the conference by the early bird deadline of Tuesday 18 February 2025.
Connect with renowned experts and hear them speak about new advances in pain management.
Enjoy 24 clinical and research topical sessions.
Be a part of the future of pain science and management!
For further information please visit the conference website.
Should you have any queries regarding your submission or the process, please contact the Conference Secretariat
We look forward to receiving your submissions.
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Morning Workshops
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Afternoon Workshops
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Full Day Workshop
painSTAR 2024 Report
By Professor Anne Burke, Chair, painSTAR Faculty
Well …. just like that …. another painSTAR event is done and dusted. Our consumer partners kept us focused on the central aim of improving the lives of people living with pain throughout the program, and we were joined by a stellar group of speakers including Professor Jeff Mogil (McGill University, Montreal) who is the founder of the North American Pain School (NAPS); the program on which painSTAR is based. Together we explored ways to foster research translation, work authentically with first nations peoples, examine social determinants of health in our research, and interact effectively with industry. We also delved into concepts like imposter syndrome and work/ life balance, and ran workshops around improving your presentation style, fostering grant success, and building your CV in a way that is uniquely you. There were also lots of panel sessions and general networking opportunities that helped build strong connections across delegates and faculty.
Each delegate had the opportunity to present their work, showcasing the incredible depth and breadth of research happening in the pain sector across Australia and beyond. It was wonderful to witness the level of skill and passion that they put
into their work and their enthusiasm for learning from each other. Our painSTARs shone brightly indeed and Jeff Mogil specifically commented on how impressed he was by the caliber of the cohort … go team!
We rounded out the program with a range of social activities to enhance connection. You wouldn’t believe how competitive an activity like paint ‘n sip becomes when you put a group of high achieving researchers into a room and ask them to build something creative. “Relax and enjoy the process” we say …. “What do mean there’s no winner?” they reply! Thankfully the weather was a little kinder to us this year and we FINALLY had a dinner outside by the pool. The program was rounded out by the incredible pitch presentations that were delivered over dinner on the final night. This session was once again a true highlight and although it’s usually met with trepidation at the outset, the pitches are consistently delivered with a level of skill, humour and creative flair that many delegates don’t think is possible on day one. The final dinner and pitch presentations were described as “an incredible way to end an incredible event”.
painSTAR 2024 Alumni
L to R: Alex Robertson (DCC&A), Prof Rainer Haberberger, Prof Wendy Imlach, Ms Trudy Maunsell, A/Prof Tasha Stanton, A/Prof Ernie Jennings and Prof Anne Burke (Chair)
painSTAR
Members of the painSTAR Class of 2024 said that….
• “I found the program incredibly valuable, and I think the experience will energise me for years to come.”
• “I feel extremely fortunate and proud to have attended this event. I feel more confident and connected with other emerging researchers in pain science, and excited about the future of what we will do as a community.”
• “I came away feeling inspired to stay in research but also feel encouraged to be bold and explore industry opportunities.”
• “painSTAR was incredibly well organised and evident it had been carefully crafted to provide a rich and thorough experience to learn more about research and translation. The range of content was broad yet tailored to our needs. The venue, food, and social activities made it very easy to immerse yourself into the program for four days. Thanks for including people with lived experience for the whole program, and for the warmth and generosity from the faculty.”
• “I have a greater appreciation of the work APS does and understand the amazing support they provide to early career researchers. I have also experienced, firsthand, their passion and dedication to further advance our understanding of phenomenon of pain and the lived experience of those who live with pain.”
The painSTAR faculty are proud to bring this initiative to the Australasian region and we want to sincerely thank our 2024 sponsors: APS, IASP, Faculty of Pain Medicine/ANZCA Foundation, Neurosolutions, NOI Group, and Return to Work SA. We are grateful for their support and believe the painSTAR sponsorship profile tells a story of a united sector that’s striving to improve translation of high-quality pain research.
I think it’s safe to say that the painSTAR concept is a resounding success (… yes editor I recognise I am more than a little biased but it’s my article). All of our painSTAR alumni are phenomenally impressive and we can’t wait to see what they do next!
The future of pain research in Australia seems bright indeed.
painSTAR 2024 paint-n-sip Lions
L to R: Dr Ghufran Alhassani, Dr Marina Vygonskaya, Ms Amy Mcneilage, Mr Jay Whittem and Dr Atieh Sadr (Not pictured: Ms Margaret Phillips)
L to R: Meet the painSTAR Faculty: Prof Anne Burke (Chair), Prof Rainer Haberberger, Prof Wendy Imlach, A/Prof Ernie Jennings, A/Prof Tasha Stanton and Ms Trudy Maunsell (at lectern)
L to R: Mr Yannick Gilanyi, Dr Kelsi Dodds, Dr Jules Richards (in lion mask), Dr Marissa Sgro, Dr Caitlin Jones and Dr Divya K Bhati
Heading to painSTAR 2024! painSTAR 2024 dinner
L to R: Ms Meredith Smith, Ms Erin Macintyre, Mrs Hannah Kennedy, Mrs Alison Sim (slightly obscured), Dr Cristy Brooks, Dr Shen Chen and Dr Yanfei Xie
painSTAR 2024 Report
By Jules Richards
Jules Richards works as a Nurse Practitioner with the Acute and Persistent Pain Service at Queensland Children’s Hospital and is a postdoctoral research fellow with the University of Queensland.
Up until this year, I had not attended the Australian Pain Society (APS) conferences, nor had I been heavily involved in the APS as an organisation. Working in paediatrics, I had tended to be more engaged with international paediatric symposiums as I had felt they were more applicable to us working in paediatrics. However, as a result of the covid pandemic, we were all forced to explore our local options as overseas travel became difficult—and this proved to be a positive experience. I really enjoyed the APS conference in Darwin this year, and was encouraged by the large amount of paediatric content.
A few months later, I was lucky enough to be successful in my application to attend painSTAR, and what an opportunity that proved to be. The organisation of painSTAR was exceptional. The days were packed full of fantastic presentations, and the scheduling allowed time for discussions with each other, but not enough time to escape to our rooms (or get distracted by the surroundings!) The number of participants was well considered, allowing for ease of collaborations and discussions, without feeling overwhelmed by a huge number of people. The presenters, and particularly the faculty, were very personable and welcoming. Having the faculty attend all sessions, and sit at the tables with participants, created an atmosphere of acceptance and collegiality – rather than an "us and them" experience, which is usually the case at larger conferences. It was humbling to share space with such experienced researchers in our field.
The importance of establishing links with others in the early stages of their research careers was a highlight from my attendance at painSTAR. It was fantastic to gain a greater understanding of how we can all work together: basic scientists, clinical researchers, and clinicians. For example, it was great to see how the work being done in the laboratories could have direct clinical implications for the future of pain treatment and management. I also found it helpful to consider how we, as clinical researchers and clinicians, could work collaboratively with industry.
I have a greater appreciation and understanding of the work the APS does, and the amazing support they provide to early career researchers. I have also experienced, first hand, their passion and dedication to further advance our understanding of the phenomenon of pain and the lived experience of those with pain.
I would like to thank the APS for providing this opportunity, and I would encourage others to submit an application to attend painSTAR — you never know who you will meet and what opportunities may come your way!
Declaration
Julianne Richards has nothing to declare.
Anxiety and Depression in Youth With Chronic Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Dudeney J, Aaron RV, Hathway T, et al. Anxiety and Depression in Youth With Chronic Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. JAMA
Published online 09 September 2024.
DOI: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2024.3039
Reviewer
Dr Scott Tagliaferri, Research Fellow, Orygen/ Centre for Youth Mental Health, University of Melbourne.
Review of article
Study group
Young people (aged < 25 years) with and without chronic pain.
Aims
To systematically review and meta-analyse the prevalence of clinical anxiety and depression and levels of symptomology in young people with and without chronic pain.
Method
This systematic review searched four databases from inception to April 30, 2023. Random effect meta-analysis analysed the prevalence and symptomology of depression and anxiety.
Summary of results
Overall, one in three young people with chronic pain reported an anxiety disorder and one in eight a depressive disorder. Compared to those without chronic pain, young people with chronic pain reported significantly higher symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Authors’ conclusions
Anxiety and depression present as a major cooccurrence in young people with chronic pain. Screening, prevention, and treatment of this cooccurrence should be a health care priority.
Reviewer's critique and take home message
I’d like to congratulate the authors. This well conducted systematic review has highlighted the need to consider co-occurring chronic pain and mental health conditions in young people. The mean age (13.7 years) of the included studies, should be considered. Anxiety disorders have an earlier age of peak onset compared to depressive disorders, with both increasing in prevalence up to the age of 25 years (Solmi et al, 2021. Molecular Psychiatry). Age-based metaregression supported this; with older participants having a higher prevalence of clinically relevant depression. This is in line with recent work (Slater et al, 2024. PAIN; published after the review search date), which showed mental ill-health prevalence (particularly depression and anxiety) in young people (aged 15-25 years) attending Australian chronic pain services differed between those attending paediatric (n=693; mean age: 15.7 years; prevalence ~42%) and adult services (n=3,518; mean age: 21.8 years; prevalence ~65%). Similar results have been observed in young people (n=1,107; mean age: 18.0 years) attending primary youth mental health (headspace) services, with almost half reporting pain at intake; although pain duration was not confirmed (Cotton et al, 2022. Epidemiol Psychiatr Sci). This indicates that attention to the continued emergence of co-occurring of chronic pain and mental ill-health across adolescence and young adulthood should be considered. Together, these highlight the critical need to reform how we consider, assess, and treat co-occurring pain and mental health conditions in young people to avert the major burden attributed to these conditions across the lifespan.
Declaration: Nothing to declare.
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A meta-ethnography of how children and young people with chronic non-cancer pain and their families experience and understand their condition, pain services, and treatments
France E, Uny I, Turley R, Thomson K, Noyes J, Jordan A, Forbat L, Caes L, Silveira Bianchim
M. A meta-ethnography of how children and young people with chronic non-cancer pain and their Families experience and understand their condition, pain services, and treatments. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2023, Issue 10. Art. No.: CD014873.
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Published online 05 October 2023.
DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD014873.pub2
Reviewer
Jen Norton, Senior Physiotherapist & PhD Candidate, University of Technology Sydney, NSW, Australia. Jennifer.norton@student.uts.edu.au
Review of article
Study group
The study population included children (aged three months to 18 years) with chronic noncancer pain and their families (including parents, grandparents, and siblings). The study focused on their perceptions, experiences, and views of chronic pain, services, and treatment.
Aims
To systematically review how children and young people who have chronic pain and their families (1) think about chronic pain; (2) live with chronic pain; (3) think of how health and social care services treated their pain; and (4) what they want from services and treatments. The review aimed to produce novel evidence to inform and support the management of childhood chronic pain, as well as indicating gaps in knowledge and subsequently new directions for chronic pain research.
Method
The authors used a qualitative evidence synthesis with meta-ethnography approach, searching 12 databases, as well as reviewing relevant grey literature. The inclusion criteria
encompassed qualitative primary research data on chronic non-cancer pain and reported the views of children with chronic non-cancer pain or their family members.
Authors utilised purposive sampling to select final included studies, prioritising conceptually rich UK studies. In qualitative evidence synthesis it is neither necessary nor desirable to include every relevant study to produce meaningful results, as the purpose is to develop understanding of a phenomenon. Meta-ethnography was selected as it is suited to developing new understandings and theory, but can also indicate gaps in knowledge, indicating new directions in research.
Summary of results
i. Synthesis of 43 studies, sampled from 170 eligible studies, including 325 children and young people with chronic non-cancer pain, 291 parents, and 17 siblings.
ii. Pain organises the family system and the social realm: The impact of poorly managed chronic pain on the family system was overwhelming and has a powerful role in organising, restricting, and altering the family and social system.
iii. Families struggling to navigate health services: Interacting with and navigating health services was challenging, particularly when searching for a diagnosis and cure. Health professionals played a powerful role in families’ experiences.
iv. Families managing pain independently: Children and young people navigated selfmanaging their own pain without health professionals, and this was a process of trial and error. Parents played an important role in helping the child recognise and self-manage their pain.
v. Families’ experiences and perceptions of specific interventions and treatments: Children and families have preferences regarding the delivery and outcomes
of treatment. They wanted this to be individualised and to be treated as an active participant in the process.
vi. Children and families experiencing prejudice and discrimination: Children and families reported experiencing discrimination and racism in health services, as well as prejudice and discrimination at school.
Conclusions
The authors concluded that poorly managed, moderate or severe chronic pain has wideraging, serious impacts on children and their families. Current health services for children’s chronic pain are difficult to navigate, with limited clear care pathways, resulting in children and young people receiving suboptimal care. Future research should include family-centered interventions and outcomes.
Reviewer's critique & take home message from the article
Strengths:
1. This review is comprehensive, with moderate to high confidence in the evidence contributing to most of the review findings.
2. The qualitative evidence synthesis and meta-ethnography approach enhances the findings, focusing on generation of new understandings and directions for future research.
3. The inclusion of a diverse chronic non-cancer pain population increases the generalisability of the findings.
4. The authors included patient and public involvement and engagement in the review
process, improving relevancy of the review to consumers.
Considerations:
1. Studies from the UK were prioritised in the sampling process, indicating that results may not be generalisable across different countries.
2. The review did not include healthcare professionals’ perceptions and experiences, focusing only on child and family experiences and perception.
3. GRADE-CERQual (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation-Confidence in Evidence from Reviews of Qualitive research) assessment of three findings were low or very low confidence, indicating these may need to be interpreted with caution.
Take home messages:
1. Health and social care systems for children and young people with chronic pain require modification to provide family-centered, holistic care.
2. Research is needed to ensure children and young people get the right care, at the right time, from the right people. Health professionals may need additional training and tools to support this.
3. Future research needs to test family-centered care which is easier to access and more acceptable to families.
Declaration
The reviewer declares no competing or conflicting interests in reviewing this article.
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Painful procedures and pain management in newborns admitted to an intensive care unit
Rocha VA, Silva IA, da Silveira Cruz-Machado
S, Bueno M. Painful procedures and pain management in newborns admitted to an intensive care unit. Rev Esc Enferm USP. 2021;55:e20210232.
Published online 20 October 2021.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1590/1980-220XREEUSP-2021-0232
Reviewer
Danton Matheus de Souza, PhD candidate at School of Nursing, University of São Paulo; Professor at Federal University of São Paulo, Brazil, Pain in Child Health (PICH) member.
Review of article
Study group
A prospective, observational study was conducted with 90 newborns hospitalised in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in São Paulo, Brazil. Data on the newborns' characteristics were collected from medical records, while data on painful procedures and pain relief interventions were gathered from the healthcare professionals working in the unit, who were previously trained by the researcher.
Aims
The study aimed to characterise painful procedures and interventions for pain relief in hospitalised newborns.
Method
Data were collected from admission (D0) to the third day (D3) of hospitalisation. Descriptive and inferential analyses were conducted.
Summary of results
Over the three days of hospitalisation, the newborns underwent a total of 2,732 painful
procedures, with an average of 30 procedures per newborn. Heel lancing, airway suctioning, and respiratory physiotherapy were the most common procedures. However, nonpharmacological interventions for pain relief were used in only 540 procedures, with reduced lighting, positioning, and minimal handling being the most prevalent. Pharmacological interventions were used in 216 cases, with continuous fentanyl being the most common. There was a statistically significant difference in the number of painful procedures performed across the days of hospitalisation when comparing D0 and D1 (p < 0.0001), D0 and D2 (p < 0.0001), D0 and D3 (p < 0.0001), D1 and D2 (p < 0.05), and D1 and D3 (p < 0.0001). Additionally, a statistically significant difference was observed in the use of non-pharmacological measures between D0 and D3 (p < 0.05).
Conclusion
In conclusion, despite the large number of studies on pain relief interventions in neonates, there is still a lack of translation of this knowledge into clinical practice, with a high number of painful procedures and a low number of pain relief interventions. Although many studies highlight the number of manipulations in neonates, this study is innovative in the literature by focusing on a developing country, addressing a relatively unexplored topic in this setting, and adopting a prospective approach.
Take home message
The findings are concerning and underscore the need for further studies on pain management in neonatology, particularly those that focus on translating and exchanging knowledge to promote pain relief interventions.
Declaration: Nothing to declare.
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Meet a Board Member
Duncan Sanders PhD, MScMed (Pain Mgmt), MPhty, BExSci
Dr Duncan Sanders is currently a Senior Lecturer (Pain Education Team) in the Sydney Medical School at the University of Sydney and the Queensland director of the APS.
How did you get into pain research/clinician practice?
I first got into pain in 2002 as a physiotherapist, working on the ADAPT Pain Program at the Royal North Shore Hospital. Later, while working at St Thomas’ Hospital, London, in outpatients and on the INPUT Pain Program, I started my PhD at Kings College London in clinical neuroscience, exploring brain mechanisms of pain using neuroimaging.
What does your current research or clinical practice focus on? Why is this important?
My focus is now on pain education. With grants from the Department of Health and various philanthropic organisations, we have been focused on developing a national and international online pain education program
(OPEN) to support all healthcare professionals upskill in pain management.
What do you think will be the next “hot topic” in your area of research or practice?
Clinical competencies in pain management, which ties in with the focus on upskilling professionals in pain management.
If you could offer one piece of advice to a younger you, what would it be and why?
When you get offered to ski for a French ski team, take it.
How and why did you join the APS Board?
I joined the APS board as multidisciplinary pain management is so important in Australia, yet it is still not recognised enough on all levels.
If you weren’t in the pain science field, what would you be doing?
Property development.
Would you like to be featured in an APS member spotlight?
Email the APS Secretariat (aps@apsoc.org.au) if you would like to complete a short interview to introduce yourself and your work to the broader membership.
Collaborating with Pelvic Pain Tasmania
By Sinan Tejani, Director Tasmania
The management of pelvic pain, especially persistent pelvic pain (PPP), which affects between 10-40% of women is complex, with many factors contributing to underwhelming outcomes. Pelvic Pain Victoria (PPV), a not-for profit charity, is one of many organisations working towards improving these outcomes. As a part of its efforts to facilitate collaboration, PPV aimed to support the development of a similar network in Tasmania, with its inaugural meeting on October 31, 2024. Organised by PPV chair Dr Marilla Druitt, Dr Kirsten Coonan, and APS President-Elect, Bernadette Smith, along with the local organising committee members Cate Andrews and Leesa Van Niekerk, 60 healthcare professionals from across the state attended this meeting. This was a truly multidisciplinary event with doctors, nurses, and various allied health professionals working together to identify the challenges associated with managing PPP in Tasmania.
Reflecting its commitment to supporting multidisciplinary best practice care, the APS was a supporter of this meeting. Chaired by President-Elect Bernadette Smith, the meeting included engaging presentations by Dr Karin Jones, Dr Emily Ware, Dr Marilla Druitt, and Cate Andrews. Dr Jones, a pain specialist at the Royal Women’s Hospital in Melbourne, spoke about the impact of trauma and trauma informed care in the management of PPP. Dr Ware, a women’s health GP, echoed the systemic and clinical challenges faced by patients as they attempt to manage their pain. Dr Druitt, an obstetrics and gynaecology specialist from Geelong, elaborated on these systemic challenges and the fantastic advocacy work that resulted in a renewed focus on PPP in women. Lastly, Cate Andrews, physiotherapist turned researcher, presented the early findings of her project dissecting the lived experience of women with PPP.
There was also a session with presentations and updates from various stakeholders in pain management in Tasmania, reflecting their fantastic and meaningful work with limited resources. The meeting ended with an engaging discussion to determine a path forward for the development of Pelvic Pain Tasmania as an independent entity.
At the conclusion of the meeting the APS conducted a networking event, allowing participants to further develop connections and explore opportunities to collaborate.
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SA Social Networking Event: 07 November 2024, Adelaide
By Heather Gray, Director South Australia
What a great catch-up that was! It was fantastic to connect and exchange ideas with everyone. It seems November has become the unofficial month for the "pain-brains" to gather in Adelaide, and this year’s timing worked out perfectly. Our event coincided with PainAdelaide, as well as our own painSTAR, creating a unique blend of events focused on innovation, learning, and collaboration.
The energy and commitment from those who attended, some for multiple events, was impressive. A special mention to Professor Jeffrey Mogil from Canada – his contributions added a valuable international perspective to the discussions. It was clear that everyone involved is dedicated to advancing the field, and it was inspiring to see so much enthusiasm.
This year’s event was a great opportunity for interdisciplinary collaboration, bringing together new and established researchers, clinicians, educators, and others with a shared passion for improving outcomes for people with persistent pain. It was amazing to see so many different perspectives coming together with a common goal.
What stood out was the strong sense of community; there’s a great mix of people, all working together to make a difference. The conversations were thought provoking, the collaborations promising, and the connections made will no doubt lead to continued progress in supporting those living with pain.
I’m excited about the opportunities for further collaboration and thankful for the chance to be part of such a positive and forward-thinking group. Looking forward to what comes next for this incredible network and to seeing you all in Melbourne for the APS ASM.
L to R: Carolyn Berryman (back), Dan Vanderlaan (obscured), Michael Henry, Sarina Harris, Christine Barry, Rainer Haberberger, Anne Burke, Jeff Mogil, Tash Stanton, Tim Semple, Jacinta Johnson (back), Natalie Tuckey, Joahnna Somfleth (obscured), William Hill (back)
L to R: William Hill (side on), Rainer Haberberger (obscured), Carolyn Berryman (side on), Christine Barry, Dan Vanderlaan, Sarina Harris (back), Michael Henry (obscured), Anne Burke (side on), Johanna Somfleth (back), Natalie Tuckey (obscured), Jeff Mogil (side on), Tash Stanton, Tim Semple (obscured), Jacinta Johnson (back)
L to R: Sarina Harris (back), Anne Burke, Michael Henry (side on), Jeff Mogil (side on)
VIC Social Networking Event: 07 November 2024, Melbourne
By Dr Laura Prendergast, Director and Treasurer
Wow, what a fantastic night! Not deterred by a few drops of rain, a merry band of about 30 APS members and friends gathered at the flowery, fabulous, and funky rooftop bar ‘State of Grace’ on Thursday 7th November.
Pain clinicians came from all corners of Melbourne and the Mornington Peninsula, with public, community, and private services all well represented. Some new faces came along from Safer Care Victoria and the Inquiry into Women’s Pain, and PhD students from Uni of Melbourne. Fortuitously, we even had interstate representation, with some cluey researchers from South Australia in town and in need of a bevvy or two after thirsty work writing joint research grants with their Victorian colleagues!
This was a night that exemplified the strength and value of the APS’s multidisciplinary membership, with conversations ranging from basic pain science and studies into pain mechanisms at play in bladder cancer, to the valuable but ever more thinly stretched roles in community and public health, from dramas in international politics, to the very best toppings on a woodfired pizza.
We all left feeling very much renewed about our work, excited about seeing each other again, and welcoming the rest of the country to the ASM in Melbourne in 2025 – luckily, it’s just around the corner!
L to R: Emily Rickman, Esther Dube, Sarah Donovan, Frances Pontonio
L to R: Pene Wood, Louise Reynolds, Bukola Oageng, Laura Prendergast
L to R: Laura Prendergast, Esther Dube, Emily Rickman, Murray Taverner
L to R: Gila Moalem-Taylor, Shen Chen, Wendy Imlach, Felicity Han, Luke Grundy
L to R: Jason Ivanusic, Sarah Goldsmith, Fiona Thomas
L to R: Natalia Egorova-Brumley, Yijun Zhou, Shima Rouhi, Esther Dube
ACT Social Networking Event: 24 October 2024, Canberra
By Andrew Watson, Director Australian Capital Territory
The APS ACT social event was held at Verity Lane, it was a great chance for friends and colleagues to catch up in a social environment, with a range of food and craft beverages.
A notable exchange from the night: Andrew (full of enthusiasm having seen the
programme for the expanded 2025 conference): “the programme is sooo exciting, it is simply exceptional this year”
Fran: “I don’t know how you can say that… each year has been exceptional”
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I’m sure you’ll agree, that’s pretty hard to top!
APS Social Networking Events
Please join us for an Australian Pain Society (APS) social event!
Come along and catch up with your local APS colleagues and learn more about what other people are doing in your state.
In fact, if you have friends/colleagues with an interest in pain management but who are not members of the APS, why not bring them along too, so that they can connect with the APS
PERTH – THURSDAY 20 FEBRUARY 2025
6.00 – 9.00pm Prince Lane Rooftop Bar
356 Murray Street, Perth
RSVP by 20 February 2025 here!
WATCH THIS SPACE!
community and find out more about how the APS can help support them.
The evenings will be largely unstructured so you can focus on meeting and connecting with others.
Hope you can make it!
Joyce
McSwan, APS President
NSW event is being organised, more details to follow…
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Developed by the Australian Pain Society in collaboration with the National Ageing Research Institute, this FREE ‘train-the-trainer’ pain management program is for use by sta in both residential aged care facilities and organisations that provide aged care in the community, as well as NDIS providers.
Bite-sized 10 minute training modules!
Eight (8) painACT modules: One for the trainer called “How to use the painACT trainer program”, and seven modules for the trainer to train their sta :
Developed by the Australian Pain Society in collaboration with the National Ageing Research Institute, this FREE ‘train-the-trainer’ pain management program is for use by sta in both residential aged care facilities and organisations that provide aged care in the community, as well as NDIS providers.
For more information:
Source
painACT is available on the Australian Pain Society website and consists of: > trainer learning module documents > short training video clips, and > participant handout material apsoc.org.au/painACT-Online-Learning
Holistic Care for People Living With Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain: The Relevance and Importance of Sexual Function.
Thank you to APS member Helen Slater and her colleagues, Ilana Ackerman and Andrew Briggs for sharing the following recent publication.
Article first published online: 16 July 2024
Journal Reference: Ilana N Ackerman, Laura Restoux, Brooke Dobo, Helen Slater, Megan H Ross, Andrew M Briggs, Holistic care for people living with chronic musculoskeletal pain: The relevance and importance of sexual function, Physical Therapy, Volume 104, Issue 8, pzae083. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/ptj/pzae083
Abstract
Objectives
People living with chronic primary or secondary musculoskeletal pain conditions such as low back pain and inflammatory arthritis or chronic widespread pain conditions, typically experience wide-ranging impacts on their functioning, activity participation, and physical and psychosocial wellbeing. These multidimensional impacts can extend to impacting a person’s sexual function and their intimate relationships, contributing an additional burden to the individual. While sexual function is an important component of wellbeing, it is not routinely screened, assessed, or managed within musculoskeletal pain care practice. Without awareness or targeted training, physiotherapists may lack the confidence and skills to screen, assess, and manage the person and the impacts that pain may contribute to their sexual function and intimate relationships. Physiotherapists can miss the opportunity to tailor care and support wellbeing from a holistic, person-centred perspective.
Methods
This paper seeks to raise awareness among physiotherapists of how experiencing chronic musculoskeletal pain can impact a person’s sexual function and intimate relationships. We provide guidance on how physiotherapists can
consider these specific issues within a personcentered approach to integrative pain care. We describe why considering related sexual function and intimate relationship issues as part of a person’s lived musculoskeletal pain experience may be relevant. We outline the use of validated patient-reported outcome measures to assess sexual (dys)function, and suggest practical strategies for sensitively raising sexual function in consultations. Management approaches and possible referral pathways are also presented, to assist physiotherapists in understanding available evidence-based pain care options.
Conclusions
This paper seeks to support holistic integrative care by improving physiotherapists’ recognition, knowledge, and understanding of sexual dysfunction and management approaches in people living with chronic musculoskeletal pain.
Implications/Discussion
Considering sexual function as a valued life activity, together with other activities of daily living, can support physiotherapists and other health workers, in providing more holistic person-centered pain care. This manuscript covers the main considerations for raising awareness of pain-related sexual (dys)function and intimate relationship issues with people living with chronic musculoskeletal pain, management options and potential referral pathways. Physiotherapists are encouraged to seek targeted training to improve their confidence and skills in this area, and to use inclusive, respectful language in clinical discussions around people’s pain-related sexual function and intimate relationships.
Declarations
Ilana Ackerman, Laura Restoux, Brooke Dobo, Helen Slater, Megan Ross, and Andrew Briggs have nothing to declare.
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Adjunctive use of hypnosis for clinical pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Thank you to APS members Rodrigo Rizzo, Tasha Stanton, Brian Pulling, Felicity Braithwaite, and Lorimer Moseley and their colleagues Hannah Jones, Ashley Grant, James McAuley, Mark Jensen, and Amy Rees for sharing the following recent publication.
Article first published online: September 10, 2024
Journal Reference: * co-first authorship
*Jones, Hannah G; *Rizzo, Rodrigo RN; Pulling, Brian W; Braithwaite, Felicity A; Grant, Ashley R; McAuley, James H; Jensen, Mark P; Moseley, G Lorimer; Rees, Amy; Stanton, Tasha R Adjunctive use of hypnosis for clinical pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis. PAIN Reports 9(5):p e1185, October 2024.
DOI: 10.1097/PR9.0000000000001185
Abstract
Objective
Systematic reviews suggest that stand-alone hypnotic suggestions may improve pain outcomes compared with no treatment, waitlist, or usual care for multiple pain conditions. However, in clinical practice, hypnosis is often provided adjunctively with other interventions which may have different effects than those reported in previous reviews. Does adding clinical hypnosis to other interventions offer additional benefits for medical/surgical pain, wound care pain, or chronic pain?
Design
We conducted a systematic review to summarise the analgesic effects of adjunctive hypnosis in adults with clinical pain.
Methods
Seven databases (MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, Emcare, SCOPUS, CENTRAL, and Cochrane) were searched until January 2024. Randomised controlled trials were included comparing
the analgesic effects of adjunctive hypnotic suggestions (hypnosis + primary intervention) with those of the primary intervention alone. Meta-analyses (random effects model) calculated mean differences (MD, [95% confidence intervals]) for pain intensity (0–100). We used a modified version of the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool and the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation) system to assess the risk of bias in the individual studies and the certainty of the evidence, respectively.
Results
Seventy studies were pooled in meta-analyses (n = 6078).
When added to usual care, hypnotic suggestions had an additional analgesic effect of −8.2 [−11.8, −1.9] for chronic pain, −6.9 [−10.4, −3.3] for medical procedures/surgical pain, and −8.8 [−13.8, −3.9] for burn wound care.
When added to education, hypnotic suggestions had an additional analgesic effect of −11.5 [−19.7, 3.3] for chronic pain but not for post-surgery pain (−2.0 [−7.8, 3.7]).
When added to psychological interventions, hypnotic suggestions had an additional analgesic effect only at the three-month followup of −2.0 [−3.7, −0.3]).
When added to medicines, hypnotic suggestions had an additional analgesic effect of −13.2, [−22.5, −3.8]) for chronic pain.
The certainty of the evidence is low to very low due to limitations in study quality and consistency in effect sizes across individual studies.
Conclusions
Hypnotic suggestions added to education may reduce pain intensity in chronic pain. However, the benefits are more uncertain when clinical hypnosis is added to other clinical pain conditions or combined with other interventions.
Implications
Clinicians are encouraged to discuss with their patients the potential benefits of incorporating clinical hypnosis to complement traditional treatments, considering patients' preferences and individual contexts. Clarifying the active ingredients and treatment targets of clinical hypnosis is warranted, as this information could enhance clinical pain management by integrating these components into other evidence-based interventions and refining suggestions to target key mechanisms to reduce pain.
Declaration
RRNR has received fees from the 2021 Allied Health Cross Boundary Grant Stream to deliver a workshop about pain education and clinical hypnosis. FAB has received support to attend meetings and travel from the International Society for the Study of Pain, the Australian Pain Society, the European Pain Federation, the South Australian Association of Internal Medicine, the Australian Podiatry
Association, the Australian Physiotherapy Association, the San Diego Pain Summit, and internal grants from her institutions. GLM has received support from Reality Health, Connect Health, Institutes of Health California, AIA Australia, Workers’ Compensation Boards in Australia, Europe and North America, the International Olympic Committee, various professional organisations and learned societies. He receives royalties for several books on pain and speakers’ fees for talks on pain and rehabilitation. MPJ is the author of two books, is the editor of six others, and facilitates workshops related to the topic of this paper. He received royalties from the sales of the books and sometimes received fees for the workshops he facilitated. In addition, MPJ owns equity in a company that is developing products to teach hypnosis to individuals to improve their quality of life. TRS has received funding for lectures on pain and rehabilitation and royalties for books on pain and rehabilitation. All other authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.
Have you had an article accepted for publication recently?
The Australian Pain Society (APS) is keen to share publications from our members with their colleagues via our eNewsletter. If you’ve had an article accepted or published recently, please contact our Assistant Editor Joanne Harmon via the APS Secretariat (aps@apsoc.org.au) with the title, authors, and reference (i.e., journal, volume, and DOI) of your article and request the submission template. We would love it if you also supply a short commentary (300 words max) to give our readers the gist of the article.
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NEW!
> The Aged Care Bill 2024 has passed Parliament and will become the new Aged Care Act from 01JUL25
Other items of interest for our members:
> Latest opioid data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics: Opioid induced deaths in Australia.
> Australia’s annual overdose report 2024 from the Pennington Institute
> Australian Atlas of Healthcare Variation Series: This series explores how healthcare use in Australia varies depending on where people live. It investigates reasons for variation that may be unwarranted, and provides specific achievable actions to reduce unwarranted variation
> Painaustralia eNewsletters
> ePPOC: electronic Persistent Pain Outcomes Collaboration: The electronic Persistent Pain Outcomes Collaboration (ePPOC) is an Australasian initiative that aims to improve the quality of care and outcomes for people who experience chronic pain.
> PainHEALTH: painHEALTH‘s aim is to help health consumers with musculoskeletal pain access reliable, evidence-based information and tips to assist in the co-management of musculoskeletal pain. painHEALTH is an initiative of the Department of Health, Western Australia
> Stanford University CHOIR: CHOIR Collaborative Health Outcomes Information Registry
> Opioid Podcasts for GPs: These podcasts are produced by David Outridge GP, and FAChAM Trainee as a project under the auspices of Dr Steven Kelly Staff Specialist in Addiction Medicine, Kullaroo Clinic Gosford. A weekly series from the Hunter Postgraduate Medical Institute (University of Newcastle)
> Airing Pain: Pain resources via an online radio show produced by Pain Concern, a UK registered Charity
> Indigenous Resources: Webpage on the APS website aggregating Indigenous resources
TGA
> Codeine information hub
NSW Agency for Clinical Innovation resources:
> Brainman and Pain Tool Kit translations
> Pain Management Resources
> Quicksteps to Manage Chronic Pain in Primary Care
> Built into Quicksteps: “How to de-prescribe and wean opioids in general practice”
> A list of helpful apps for consumers and clinicians
> Chronic Pain in the ED
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APS Membership Renewals 2025
Renewal notices for 2025 have been sent by email to members, check your inbox!
Thank you for your continued support and membership of the APS.
Please note:
1. We understand that circumstances change, so each year we ask you to select your appropriate level of membership.
2. This system of self-reporting subscription levels was implemented in 2009 for the benefit and fairness of all members.
3. There has been a small increase applied to the 2025 membership fees.
Please refer to the rates below for your 2025 membership fee:
a. Regular A $130 (was $120)
b. Regular B $260 (was $230)
c. Regular C $440 (was $370)
d. Retired $65 Concessional Rate
e. Student $65 Concessional Rate
Before renewing, please ensure you review and update your member profile online.
Payments can be made by Credit Card or BPAY.
Did you know that the Australian Pain Society is a registered charity with ACNC? Your donation will help the Society to promote the prevention and control of diseases in human beings associated with pain.
All donations of $2 or more to APS are tax-deductible.
New Members as at 3 December 2024
Mr Yanfei Ban Pharmacology
Mrs Cindy Cameron Nursing
Miss Pak Yan Chau Science Research
Dr Julie Comyn Psychology
Miss Tian Du Science Research
Ms Jessica Farrugia Physiotherapy
Miss Nicole Harradine Nursing
Mrs Most Sumaiya Khatun Kali Pharmacology
Dr David Sern Aun Lim Geriatrics
Mr Jackson Linke Physiotherapy
Mr Christopher Neason Exercise Physiologist
Mrs Amanda Shields Occupational Therapy
Miss Demelum Uche-okoye Physiotherapy
Mr Narayanan Venkatesan Exercise Physiologist
Mr Matthew Waller Science Research
Calendar of Events
20-22 March 2025
New Zealand Pain Society (NZPS)
NZPS25 - Weaving our Kete
Te Papa Tonogarewa, Wellington, NZ
04-06 April 2025
Spine Society of Australia
2025 Spine Society of Australia 36th Annual Scientific Meeting
Perth Convention & Exhibition Centre, Perth, WA
13-16 April 2025
Australian Pain Society (APS)
2025 Australian Pain Society 45th Annual Scientific Meeting
Pullman Melbourne Albert Park, Melbourne, VIC
24-26 April 2025
EuropeanPain Federation - EFIC
EFIC 14th Congress - Comorbidity of chronic pain and mental health disorders: Breaking the cycle
Cite - Centre de Congres, Lyon, France
2-6 May 2025
Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (ANZCA)
ANZCA 2025 Annual Scientific MeetingFutureproof
Cairns Convention Centre, Cairns QLD
17-20 June 2025
International Symposium on Paedriatric Pain
ISPP 2025
Scottish Event Campus (SEC), Glasgow, Scotland
20-23 July 2025
Rehabilitation Medicine Society of Australia & New Zealand in conjunction with New Zealand Rehabilitation Association
RMSANZ NZRA 2025 8th Annual Scientific Meeting - Building Lives
Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre, Christchurch, NZ
08-10 August 2025
Neuromodulation Society of Australia & New Zealand
NSANZ 2025 18th Annual Scientific Meeting
ICC Sydney, NSW
17 October 2025
Pain Nurses Australia
2025 Annual Professional Day - Pain in Vulnerable Populations
Waterview in Bicentennial Park, Sydney Olympic Park, Sydney, NSW
Vision, Purpose & Priorities
Vision:
All people will have optimal pain management throughout life.
Purpose:
The Australian Pain Society is a multidisciplinary association whose purpose is to advance pain management through education, research, and advocacy for transformational improvements in clinical care.
Priorities:
In order to achieve our purpose, the Australian Pain Society will provide:
> Membership
> Research
> Education
> Services and resources
> Good governance and operations
> Advocacy
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Directors
President:
Mrs Joyce McSwan
Gold Coast Primary Health Network
Persistent Pain Program, QLD and PainWISE
Tel: 0412 327 795 Fax: 07 3539 9801
President-Elect:
Ms Bernadette Smith
Psychology Plus
South Burnie TAS
Tel: 03 6431 9959 Fax: 03 6431 9950
Secretary:
Mrs Dinah Spratt
Physiotas Physiotherapy
Shearwater TAS 7307
Tel: 03 6428 7500 Fax: 03 6424 7811
Treasurer:
Dr Laura Prendergast
Pain Service, Northern Health
Broadmeadows VIC 3047
Tel: 03 8345 5166 Fax: N/A
Work days Mon & Thu
ACT Director:
Dr Andrew Watson
Calvary Hospital
Canberra ACT 2617
Tel: 02 6201 6352 Fax: N/A
NSW Director:
Dr Connor Gleadhill
Department of Health and Aged Care
Primary Care Division
Newcastle NSW 2038
Tel: 0405 203 661 Fax: N/A
NT Director:
Position Vacant
Tel: 02 9016 4343
QLD Director:
Dr Duncan Sanders
Pain Management Unit, Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney / Managing Pain Clinic and E3 Physio
Gold Coast QLD
Tel: 07 5620 1234 Fax: 07 3009 0420
SA Director:
Ms Heather Gray
Royal Adelaide Hospital
Adelaide SA 5000
Email: heather.gray@sa.gov.au
TAS Director:
Mr Sinan Tejani
Launceston General Hospital
Launceston TAS 7250
Tel: 0469 967 841 Fax: N/A
VIC Director:
Dr Esther Dube
Austin Health
Heidelberg VIC 3084
Email: referrals@periop.net.au
WA Director:
Ms Jacintha Bell
Lifeworks Occupational Therapy
Mount Lawley WA 6050
Tel: 0451 178 880 Fax: 08 6323 3329
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Office Bearers
Immediate Past President:
Ms Trudy Maunsell
Retired QLD
SPC Chair:
Professor Kevin Keay
Department of Anatomy
University of Sydney
Sydney NSW 2006
Tel: 02 9351 4132 Fax: 02 9351 2817
IASP Liaison:
Professor Fiona Blyth AM
Sydney School of Public Health
Faculty of Medicine and Health
University of Sydney
Camperdown NSW 2006
Email: Fiona.blyth@sydney.edu.au
Communications Coordinator:
Mrs Joyce McSwan
Gold Coast Primary Health Network
Persistent Pain Program, QLD and PainWISE
Tel: 0412 327 795 Fax: 07 3539 9801
Newsletter Editor:
Dr Lincoln Tracy
School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine
Monash University
Melbourne VIC 3004
Tel: 03 9903 0288
Newsletter Assistant Editor:
Dr Joanne Harmon
School of Clinical and Health Sciences
University of South Australia
Adelaide SA 5000
Tel: 08 8302 1442
Scholarship/Grant Selection
Subcommittee Co-Chairs:
Emeritus Professor Maree Smith AC
Centre for Integrated Preclinical Drug Development
University of Queensland St Lucia QLD 4072
Professor Luke Henderson
Anatomy & Histology, School of Medical Sciences
Brain & Mind Centre
University of Sydney
Camperdown NSW 2006
Secretariat:
DC Conference & Association
Management Pty Ltd
PO Box 637
North Sydney, NSW 2059
Tel: 02 9016 4343
Email: aps@apsoc.org.au
Website: apsoc.org.au
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