Submissions and Policy Updates
Invitation to provide input to Painaustralia's submission RACGP 10th edition Red Book
Painaustralia has been invited by the RACGP to provide input to the 10th edition of the Guidelines for preventive activities in general practice (the Red book).
The Red book is one of RACGP’s flagship clinical resources. and has provided guidance to general practitioners (GPs) on opportunistic and proactive preventive care since 1989. The 9th edition is available here.
The RACGP’s Red Book Expert Committee is looking for any suggestion on recent guidelines, systemic reviews and significant research that they should consider in the 10th edition. Timelines for feedback are tight, and we request your feedback to inform Painaustralia’s submission by COB 20 December 2019. Please email your input to admin@painaustralia.org.au.
Please note that there will be further opportunities to provide more detailed feedback and comments once the chapter content has been finalised in late 2020.
Submission to Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability
Chronic pain is strongly associated with markers of social disadvantage, such as lower levels of completed education, not having private health insurance, receiving a disability benefit or unemployment benefit, and being unemployed for health reasons. Unfortunately, an ongoing lack of awareness and limited support, means many of these Australians are falling through the cracks of the country’s health and disability support systems, not receiving the early intervention, support and multidisciplinary care they deserve.The psychological and personal toll this takes on people living with chronic pain and related disability cannot be underestimated.
Prioritising pain and pain management in health and disability policy would significantly reduce the burden of disability associated with chronic pain. Consistent with the World Health Organisation and several Australian hospitals and health services, recognising chronic pain as a disease in its own right while understanding the relationship between mental health and other comorbidities and pain and related disability is required to improve the quality of life for many Australians impacted by these conditions who often fall between the cracks.
Read our submission here.
Submission to National Obesity Strategy
Chronic pain compounds the already enormous clinical, psychological, societal and economical burden of obesity. The nature of the chronic pain–obesity relationship is multifaceted and includes the interface with biopsychosocial factors.
Painaustralia’s submission support the intention of the draft National Obesity Strategy and its objective to act now and into the future to address and prevent this major health and societal challenge. Our submission elaborates on the links between chronic pain and obesity and subsequent burden of disease, and links to other important national strategies that should be leveraged as part of driving common agendas and objectives.
Read our submission here.