Get in touch

Chronic Pain Management Options in Australia: A Comprehensive Patient Guide

Understanding Your Path to Better Quality of Life

Chronic Pain Management Options in Australia: Living with chronic pain persistent pain lasting longer than three months can be overwhelming, affecting every aspect of your life from physical function to emotional wellbeing . The good news is that Australia offers a range of evidence-based pain killers management options designed not just to reduce pain, but to help you regain control and improve your quality of life.

This guide draws on information from leading Australian health authorities including state health departments, Painaustralia, the Australian Pain Society, and hospital pain management units to help you understand the options available and how to access them.

What Is Chronic Pain?

Pain that continues longer than three months is defined as persistent or chronic pain . Unlike acute pain, which serves as a warning signal for injury, chronic pain persists beyond normal healing time and becomes a condition in its own right.

The modern understanding of chronic pain is based on the biopsychosocial framework recognising that pain is influenced by biological factors (physical health, injury), psychological factors (thoughts, emotions, coping strategies), and social/environmental factors (relationships, work, culture) .

Key Insight: The literature consistently demonstrates that approaches addressing biopsychosocial contributors are more likely to be successful than those focusing only on reducing pain intensity .

The Gold Standard: Multidisciplinary Pain Management

What Is Multidisciplinary Care?

Interdisciplinary care provided by a multidisciplinary team is the gold standard for the management of persistent pain . But what does this mean?

A multidisciplinary pain management team typically includes:

• Pain medicine specialists – Doctors with advanced training in pain management

• Physiotherapists – Help improve movement, strength, and function

• Psychologists – Address the emotional and cognitive aspects of pain

• Occupational therapists – Assist with daily activities and return to work

• Nurses – Provide ongoing support and education

• Psychiatrists – Manage complex mental health needs 

The key difference between multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary care is integration. Interdisciplinary care involves a team working closely together within a non-hierarchical framework, with shared goals and collaborative treatment planning .

What Multidisciplinary Pain Programs Offer

Based on information from leading Australian pain services, multidisciplinary programs typically include :

Pain Management Programs Across Australia

Australia has a network of pain management services, categorised into three levels based on the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) recommendations :

• Level 1 – Multidisciplinary Pain Clinics: Comprehensive services with full interdisciplinary teams

• Level 2 – Pain Management Services: May have fewer disciplines but still coordinated care

• Level 3 – Pain Practices: Individual practitioners with expertise in pain

Examples of NSW-based programs :

• ADAPT Program (Sydney) – Intensive group-based inpatient three-week multidisciplinary treatment program at the Pain Management Research Institute

• Back to Life Program (Westmead Hospital) – Multidisciplinary program specialising in spinal and musculoskeletal pain

• Hunter Integrated Pain Service (HIPS) (Newcastle) – Education, multidisciplinary assessment, and treatment groups

• Mt Wilga Pain Management Program (Sydney) – Runs twice weekly over six weeks, focusing on self-management

• The HammondCare Greenwich Hospital Pain Program – Three-hour weekly sessions over eight weeks with follow-up

How to Access a Pain Clinic

Most public hospital pain management units require a referral letter from your GP or medical practitioner . The process typically involves:

1. GP referral – Your doctor sends a referral to the pain service

2. Questionnaire – You may receive a screening questionnaire to help the service understand your situation 

3. Triage – Patients are prioritised based on clinical need:

   • Category 1 (Urgent): Within 4 weeks

   • Category 2 (Semi-urgent): Within 12 weeks

   • Category 3 (Routine): Next available appointment 

4. Introduction session – Many services begin with a group information session explaining their model of care 

5. Assessment and treatment – Individual and/or group programs

Note: Waiting times vary. The Tasmanian Persistent Pain Service notes that some patients may initially not be ready to engage in self-management, but services support building patient readiness to actively participate .

---

Online and Remote Pain Management Programs

For those unable to access in-person services, Australia offers excellent online options :

---

Medication in Pain Management

The Role of Medications

Medications can play an important role in pain management, but they should ideally not be the first and only line of therapy . The Cost of Pain Report (Deloitte Access Economics) noted concerning patterns: nearly 70% of GP consultations for pain end with a prescription rather than referral to other health practitioners .

Opioid Safety

Opioids can be effective for short-term pain relief, but long-term use carries significant risks. The NSW Agency for Clinical Innovation (ACI) has developed an Opioid Quicksteps Guide for clinicians, noting the increasing evidence pointing to potential harm and lack of effectiveness of opioid medications above 60 mg oral morphine equivalent daily dose for chronic non-cancer pain .

Key opioid safety considerations :

• Long-term opioid use can lead to tolerance and actually increase pain sensitivity

• Side effects include constipation, drowsiness, and risk of dependence

• Pain management units typically do not prescribe opioids but may provide recommendations to your GP

• The focus is on tapering where appropriate and using non-pharmacological approaches

Pain management services generally do not:

• Provide second opinions for opioid prescription 

• Authorise opioid prescriptions (this remains with your GP or specialist) 

• Provide Section 59E authorisations for Schedule 8 medicines in Tasmania 

Medicinal Cannabis for Pain

Current evidence is limited. The Pain Management Unit at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital (SA) states: “There is currently limited evidence to support the use of medicinal cannabis for treating persistent non-cancer pain” .

Key points from Australian expert bodies :

• The Faculty of Pain Medicine (ANZCA) and International Association for the Study of Pain do not currently recommend medicinal cannabis for chronic non-cancer pain outside clinical trials

• The Choosing Wisely initiative recommends: “Do not prescribe currently available medicinal cannabis products to treat chronic non-cancer pain (CNCP) unless part of a registered trial” 

• The Tasmanian Persistent Pain Service does not participate in cannabinoid prescription, citing lack of high-quality evidence 

• If prescribed, products are not government-subsidised and must be paid for privately 

Ketamine for Pain

The Tasmanian Persistent Pain Service notes that they do not initiate, continue, or endorse ketamine treatments (including infusions) for persistent pain. This aligns with Faculty of Pain Medicine (ANZCA) policy, which advises against routine use of ketamine outside trial or research settings .

A 2025 Cochrane review (Ferraro et al.) on ketamine and other NMDA receptor antagonists for chronic pain reinforces this cautious approach .

Interventional Pain Procedures

For some patients, interventional procedures may be part of a comprehensive pain management plan. Sydney Pain Day Surgery, the city’s only state-of-the-art facility dedicated to pain intervention procedures, offers :

• Radiofrequency ablation (neurotomy) – Uses radiofrequency energy to create heat for managing certain types of chronic pain

• Pulsed radiofrequency treatment – Modified version of traditional radiofrequency procedures

• Biaculoplasty – Advanced RFA to treat painful discs from the inside

• Nerve blocks and joint blocks – Diagnostic and therapeutic injections

• Ultrasound-guided pain interventions

Important: Procedures should typically only occur after interdisciplinary assessment and as part of a holistic management plan .

Self-Management: Your Role in Pain Management

Research has shown that an increased understanding of how and why pain happens helps people feel more equipped to manage it . Self-management doesn’t mean managing alone it means actively participating in your care with support from health professionals.

Evidence-Based Self-Management Strategies

Resources for Self-Management

• ACI’s acute low back pain consumer guide – Best practice care for preventing chronic pain 

• painTRAINER – Interactive online tool 

• eCentreClinic courses – Free evidence-based programs 

Special Populations

Children and Adolescents

• Sydney Children’s Hospital Chronic Pain Clinic – Fortnightly full-day multidisciplinary clinic; intensive rehabilitation program; quarterly adolescent pain management sessions 

• Perth Children’s Hospital Complex Pain Service – Interdisciplinary care for children and adolescents 

• SKIP (QLD) – Community-based program for children under 14 

Older Adults

• Seniors ADAPT (Sydney) – Outpatient program twice weekly over four weeks for those aged 65+ 

Osteoarthritis

• Osteoarthritis Chronic Care Program – Multiple locations in Sydney (Hornsby, Royal North Shore, Ryde) for public patients 

• Healthy Weight for Life – Weight loss and pain management program (private health insurance may cover) 

Finding Pain Services in Australia

The National Pain Services Directory, launched by Painaustralia at Parliament House, lists more than 200 pain treatment services across Australia . The directory is categorised by three levels and mapped to help people find appropriate, evidence-based care.

How to use the directory:

1. Visit the Auscare Store website 

2. Search by location or service type

3. Check the service level and specialisation

4. Contact the service directly (GP referral usually required)

What Pain Management Services Do NOT Provide

Understanding what pain services cannot do helps set realistic expectations and ensures you seek appropriate care elsewhere :

• Ongoing opioid prescribing – Pain units typically provide recommendations to your GP but do not prescribe long-term

• Medicinal cannabis endorsement – Most public pain services do not prescribe or recommend cannabinoids

• Procedural interventions without prior assessment – Comprehensive assessment comes first

• NDIS or DSP reports – Your GP is typically best placed for these (they have detailed knowledge of your history)

• Long-term care – Pain services are time-limited rehabilitation; ongoing care returns to your GP

• Services for compensable patients (WorkCover, CTP) – Alternative funded pathways exist

 

Policy Context: Australia’s Commitment to Pain Management

Australia has made significant strides in improving pain management through:

• National Strategic Action Plan for Pain Management – A framework for coordinated action 

• MBS Review Pain Management Clinical Committee – Reviewing and improving Medicare items for pain 

• Guiding Principles for Medication Management – Updated to reflect best evidence 

• National Medicines Policy review – Considering consumer needs and outcomes focus