Pain Medicine

The Pain Service

Pain is “an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage or described in terms of such damage” [International Association for the Study of Pain]. Pain is a common symptom of some medical and surgical conditions. Acute pain needs to be effectively managed so the patient does not develop persistent pain and disability.

The Royal Perth Hospital Acute Pain Service commenced in 1989. It assists in the effective assessment and management of patients experiencing pain; the education of staff, patients and families regarding pain management; and liaises with all personnel involved in the care of the patient.

The Pain Service Team consists of a:

• Consultant Anaesthetist - this specialist can change daily/weekly
• Anaesthetic Registrar - assigned to the pain service for several weeks
• Clinical Nurse/Clinical Nurse Consultant

The Pain Service attends patients who are prescribed a specific pain technique which could be:

• Patient Controlled Analgesia (PCA)
• Patient Controlled Epidural Analgesia (PCEA)
• IV Opioids
• IV Ketamine

Should a patient have a pain problem and does not have one of the named techniques then the admitting team can send a referral to the Department of Anaesthesia and Pain Medicine for expert advice.

Every morning the Pain Service Team visits patients throughout the hospital. Some patients will be seen also in the afternoon should their condition require this service.
The Pain Service also offers a Persistent Pain Service situated at the Shenton Park Campus should the patient require long-term pain management expertise.

Contact:

Anaesthesia and Pain Medicine, Royal Perth Hospital

Telephone: (08) 9224 1040