About painHEALTH

Learn about painHEALTH, how it came to be and our wide range of support

Last updated: 19 July 2021 · 9 min read

About

Project background

painHEALTH has been developed through the Department of Health, Western Australia, in collaboration with Curtin University, the University of Western Australia and the Musculoskeletal Health Network.

The aim of the website is to help and support people living with musculoskeletal pain in the management of their pain, health and wellbeing.

Project Core Values

Mission and Vision

Mission

To help Western Australian people living with musculoskeletal pain to access practical evidence-based information and skills to assist in their musculoskeletal pain care. We acknowledge that access to pain management is a fundamental human right and support these rights as outlined in the Declaration of Montreal (2010).

Vision

To promote timely access to reliable and practical pain management resources for all Western Australians living with persistent musculoskeletal pain.

How painHEALTH came to be

Funding, partners and support

Funding

This website was funded by a grant provided by The Office of the Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health WA. The in-kind support of the Fremantle Hospital and Health Service, Pain Medicine Unit, Curtin University and the University of WA are also acknowledged. The Department of Health, Government of Western Australia continues to provide funding to support ongoing cycles of review and content updating.

Evaluation

An impact evaluation of painHEALTH was undertaken in 2018. 414 participants (44% people living with musculoskeletal pain, 3% carers, 53% health professionals, clinicians, service providers, researchers and educators, from all Australian states and territories, provided feedback. A subset of 26 users (42% consumers, 3% carers) also provided rich insights about their website experience through in-depth interviews. For more information, view and download the PDF report.

Partners and support

Partners for this project are the Department of Health, Government of Western Australia; Curtin University; University of Western Australia; Fremantle Hospital and Health Service. The website is supported by the Australian Pain Society and the Australian Physiotherapy Association.

Supportive information

Policies and health information

Policies

This website initiative aligns with several Models of Care developed by the Musculoskeletal Health Network as well as other strategic frameworks for musculoskeletal health, the National Pain Strategy and the National Strategic Action Plan for Pain Management. The project also aligns with recommendations from the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP), including the Declaration of Montreal.

Health information

The information on this website does not replace medical advice or advice from your health care professional. If in doubt, check with your medical or health professional. Where possible, the information provided on this website is based on the current best practice evidence including clinical guidelines, systematic reviews, meta-analyses and Cochrane consumer summaries. Recommendations may change as new research becomes available.

Clients

Partners and Affiliates

Partners

Affiliates

Content contributors

Pain module contributors

painHEALTH - Helen Slater

Helen Slater PhD, FACP, MAppSc(Phty), BAppSc(Phty)

Professor, School of Physiotherapy and Exercise Science, Curtin University, Perth Australia.

Dr Stephanie Davies

Stephanie Davies, MBBS, FANZCA, FFPMANZCA

Pain Medicine Specialist, Painless Clinic previously WA Specialist Pain Services, Perth, Adjunct Associate Professor, School of Physiotherapy and Exercise Science, Curtin University, Australia.

Carl Graham

Carl Graham, BSc(Hons), MAPs

Clinical Psychologist, Fiona Stanley Hospital, Department of Anaesthesia and Pain Medicine

Rob Schutze

Rob Schütze BA, BJourn, BSc(Psych)Hons, MPsych(Clinical), PhD

Clinical Psychologist, Wisdom Health. Postdoctoral Fellow, School of Psychology & Speech Pathology, Curtin University

painHEALTH - Andrew Briggs

Andrew Briggs, BSc(Phty)Hons, PhD, FACP

Professor, School of Physiotherapy and Exercise Science, Curtin University, Perth Australia.

Sonia Ranelli

Sonia Ranelli PhD, MSc, BSc (Physiotherapy)

Lecturer, School of Physiotherapy and Exercise Science, Curtin University, Perth Australia.

painHEALTH - Eric Vesser

Eric Visser, MBBS FANZCA FFPMANZCA

Professor and Churack Chair of Chronic Pain Education and Research, Notre Dame University, Fremantle, Perth, Australia

painHEALTH - Tracy Antill

Tracy Antill, B.App.Sc (Occupational Therapy)

Fiona Stanley Hospital, Pain Medicine Unit

Peter O'Sullivan

Peter O’Sullivan, Dip Physio; Grad Dip Man Ther; PhD, FACP

Professor, School of Physiotherapy and Exercise Science; Curtin University, Perth, Australia; Clinical Director, Specialist Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist, Bodylogic Physiotherapy, Perth Australia.

painHEALTH - Tim MItchell

Tim Mitchell, PhD, FACP

Director, Pain Options
Senior Lecturer, Curtin University, School of Physiotherapy and Exercise Science

Rana Hinman

Rana Hinman, BPhysio(Hons), PhD

Professor, NHMRC Senior Research Fellow, The University of Melbourne, Australia.

painHEALTH - Chan

Madelynn Chan, MBBS (Western Australia), MD, FAMS, FRACP

Rheumatologist, Associate Professor at Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nangyang Technological University, Singapore.

painHEALTH - Errol Lim

Errol Lim, BAppSc(Physio), GAICD

Physiotherapist & Director BJC Health, Sydney, Australia.

painHEALTH - Irwin Lim

Irwin Lim, MBBS (Hons), FRACP

Rheumatologist & Director BJC Health, Sydney, Australia.

Dr Michele Sterling

Michele Sterling, PhD; MPhty; BPhty; Grad Dip Manip Physio; FACP

Professor, RECOVER Injury Research Centre; Director NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence in Road Traffic Injury Recovery, The University of Queensland, Australia.

Niel O'Connell

Neil O'Connell PhD, MSc

Senior Lecturer, Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Health and Life Sciences, Brunel University London, UK.

Dr Fances Milet

Frances Milat, MBBS (Hons); FRACP, MD

Endocrinologist; Head, Metabolic Bone Services, Monash Health;
Head, Metabolic Bone Research Group & Michael and Phoebe Jones Research Fellow, Hudson Institute, Melbourne, Australia.

Jean Byrne, B.A.Hons, Grad Dip Ed, Dip Childbirth Education, PhD.

Senior Yoga Teacher, The Yoga Space
Adjunct Research Fellow, School of Nursing, Midwifery & Paramedicine, Curtin University

painHEALTH - NIck

Nick Cooke, MBBS, DRCOG (UK), MRCGP (UK) FRACGP

Nick was trained at Guys Hospital, London, and completed his GP training in the UK before emigrating to Australia. He has been practising as a general practitioner for 20 years and brings a generalist approach to the management of pain.

Roger Goucke

Roger Goucke AM, MBChB, FANZCA, FFPMANZCA

Staff Specialist Pain Medicine, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital; Perth, Australia; Associate Professor, School of Medicine UWA; Perth, Australia.

Dr John Quitner

John Quintner, FFPMANZCA

Retired Rheumatologist and Physician in Pain Medicine. Project Officer (volunteer), Arthritis and Osteoporosis, Perth, Australia.