Persistent Pain Management
Emergency

If any of the following are present or suspected, please refer the patient to the emergency department (via ambulance if necessary) or seek emergent medical advice if in a remote region.

Adult persistent pain

  •  Patients with acute pain and new neurological symptoms eg Cauda Equina Syndrome (CES)
  • Patients requiring acute mental health services
  • Concerns pertinent to any medical/surgical condition which raise the possibility of serious underlying disease (malignancy or infection) should be reviewed by the appropriate specialty either via emergency department or high priority outpatient appointment

Paediatric persistent pain

  • Concerns pertinent to any medical/surgical condition which raise the possibility of serious underlying disease (malignancy or infection) should be reviewed by the appropriate specialty either via emergency department or high priority outpatient appointment

Persistent Pain Management is not serviced by West Moreton Health. Please refer to the appropriate service.

Paediatric

Persistent pain  - Please refer to Children's Health Queensland

Adult

Persistent pain  - Please refer to Metro South Health

Out of scope services

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 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.
  • Patients consuming >60mg oral Morphine Equivalent Daily Dose (oMEDD) for longer than 3 months that are not already engaged in an appropriate primary care directed opioid deprescribing program (Patients with long term psychological opioid dependence are less likely to engage with non-pharmacological interventions. Please consider phoning your local PPMS for advice regarding medication optimisation or opioid deprescribing).
    Indefinite referrals are not accepted

Out of catchment

West Moreton Health is responsible for providing a public health service to people who reside within its catchment area. To appropriately manage demand for service we do not accept referrals from outside this catchment area. If your patient does live outside the West Moreton Health area and it is deemed socially or clinically necessary for their care to be received in the West Moreton Health Service, inclusion of information regarding their particular medical and/or social factors will assist with the triaging of your referral.

Feedback

To provide feedback about contents on this website or general referral questions please email WM-CPC@health.qld.gov.au or phone 3413 7402.