RACGP calls for system-wide reform for pain management in Australia

‘For many people, good pain management can transform their quality of life, allowing them to work, be active and participate in the community rather than being functionally disabled,’ RACGP President Dr Bastian Seidel said. ‘Unfortunately, what we have been seeing is an exploitation of painkilling medications.’
 
According to Dr Seidel, Prescribing drugs of dependence in general practice – Part C1: Opioids and Part C2: The role of opioids in pain management – has been produced primarily in response to increasing concerns about the use and safety of opioids.
 
The RACGP wants significant changes within the health system to improve pain services and minimise harms. The RACGP has called for:

• nationally consistent laws and regulations regarding opioids
• up-scheduling of codeine
• national real-time prescription monitoring
• improved methods of national and primary health network monitoring of opioid prescriptions
• improved methods of evaluating serious harms (deaths and hospitalisation) from prescription drugs
• improved funding models to support chronic pain management
• hospital physicians, surgeons, pain specialists and hospital pharmacists to adopt improved and consistent opioid medication plans on discharge
• all general practices to improve clinical governance within their practices by adopting uniform policies and procedures to improve management of opioid within their practices.

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