Pain Management Clinic
We care for and treat people who have prolonged pain. Please note that important updates to the service and clinic come into effect on Friday 20 March. The updates relate directly to COVID-19. Further information will be provided here on Thursday 19 March.
What we do
The Caulfield Pain Management and Research Centre provides goal orientated and time limited services though the provision of expert assessment, patient education and access to a number of treatment modalities which focus on a self-management approach to ongoing pain.
Who we care for
We care and support people experiencing persistent (non-cancer related) pain which has been impacting on their daily activities including work, study, school, caring role, social and family relationships, and are willing to explore living well with pain and willing to learn to self-manage ongoing pain.
What to expect
Service information and triage
The Service Information and Triage session is held weekly on alternate Wednesday and Friday mornings. This session is essential to start your journey within the pain clinic. It provides you with information on what the clinic provides and gives you an opportunity to discuss your individual needs and next steps with one of our clinicians. This discussion will also determine the most appropriate assessment pathway if you are proceeding with the service.
Pain questionnaire
You will receive either an email link or paper based pain questionnaire that needs to be completed and returned before you can continue through to assessment.
This questionnaire is an important part in understanding how your pain impacts on you and is designed to inform your assessment, treatment planning and understand your progress.
The assessment process may involve:
- An assessment with our allied health multidisciplinary team (this includes occupational therapy, physiotherapy and psychology) and is requirement if continuing on with therapeutic programs.
- An assessment with a medical pain specialist.
Treatment
The centre aims to assist you to reduce the impact of persistent pain by optimising pain treatments, improving function and promoting self-management.
This is achieved by expert assessment, education and access to a number of treatment modalities including:
- Medical management
- Allied health assessment and recommendations for ongoing treatment
- Pain management education
- Multidisciplinary pain management programmes:
- CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) pain management group programs - 9 week course
- START UP: Functional and physical self-improvement - 8 Week Course
- Hydrotherapy - 6 week course
- Feldenkrais - 8 week course
- Tai Chi - 8 week course
- Stress management (basic and advanced) - 2 x 2hr program
- Sleep (basic and advanced) - 2 x 2hr program
- Medication management - 2hr program
- Clinical psychology
- Occupational therapy (ergonomic, occupational, work and work capacity assessments)
- Physiotherapy
- Relaxation (basic and advanced)
- Biofeedback
- Hypnosis
- Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS)
- Assessment for interventional procedures (anaesthetic blocks) and referrals on, when deemed clinically appropriate
- Support to transition to community services, ensuring effective follow on referrals.
How to access this clinic
How to access this service
A medical referral is required from your general practitioner or other medical specialist. So please make a time to meet with your health care professional and discuss your needs and whether this is the right service for you. Your general practitioner or other medical specialist will send your referral to:
The Caulfield Access Unit
Referral phone: (03) 9076 6776
Referral fax: (03) 9076 6773
Email: gcgmcaccess@cgmc.org.au
Once your referral has been received you will be contacted by our Access Unit to see if you still wish to be seen by the service. They will then offer you an appointment date and time to attend the service information and triage session.
What to bring
Every time you come
- Medicare card
- Health Care Card and/or concession card (if you have one)
- Private health insurance card (if applicable/if you want to use it)
- Adverse drug alert card (if you have one)
- Previous x-ray films, scans, ultrasounds or any other test results or reports
- Medicines you need to take while you are here
- List of medicines you are currently taking (or the boxes), including medicines you have bought without a prescription, such as herbal supplements and vitamins
- Glasses, hearing aid, walking frame
For a clinic appointment
- Your appointment letter
- Any special items listed on your letter
- TAC or Workcover claim number (if relevant)
Clinic times
| Day | Campus | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Tuesday | Caulfield Hospital | 8.30am - 5.00pm |
| Wednesday | Caulfield Hospital | 8.30am - 5.00pm |
| Thursday | Caulfield Hospital | 8.30am - 5.00pm |
| Friday | Caulfield Hospital | 8.30am - 5.00pm |
Clinic consultants
- A/Prof Carolyn Arnold: Pain Medicine, Rehabilitation Medicine
- Dr Sarah Donovan: Pain Medicine
- Dr Jason Teh: Rehabilitation Medicine, Pain Medicine
- Dr Dushyanta Shan: Pain Medicine, Psychiatry
- Dr Romi Goldschlager: Psychiatry
- Dr Matthew Frei: Addiction Medicine
Resources
All patient resources-
Australian Pain Society
An organisation aiming to relieve pain and related suffering through advocacy and leadership in clinical practice, education and research
-
Pain Health
painHEALTH offers you information, tips and self management tools to assist in the management of musculoskeletal pain
-
Pain Management Network
Helping people to gain a better understanding of pain
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Pain Revolution
Pain Revolution is on a mission to help all Australians access community-based pain education through the Local Pain Educator Program.
-
Tame the Beast
Freely available, non-commercial education space that hopes to inspire research-based action in the treatment of pain. At the moment, Tame the Beast is an animation, a question-and-answer and it'll soon host a podcast series.