Tuesday 25 March 2014, NSW Minister for Health and Medical Research, the Hon. Jillian Skinner formally launched the NSW Pain Management Network Website at a function held at the NSW State Library in Sydney. The Website has been developed as part of the NSW Health Pain Management Plan to enhance information and services for people in pain and the health professionals who care for them wherever they might be in the state. The launch was covered on Channel Nine News, Sydney.
The section for adolescents ‘PainBytes’, initially conceived by Sydney Children’s Hospital Pain Management Service became a joint project with the NSW Agency for Clinical Innovation (ACI) Pain Network. Under Fiona Hodson, ACI Pain Management Project Officer, and the Limelight Creative Media team, the project grew to incude consumer involvement and participation of many Network members.
Photo L to R: Dr Susie Lord (John Hunter Children’s Hospital), Fiona Hodson (ACI Pain Mgmt Project Officer), Ian Hamilton (Limelight) and Dr Anna Kelly (Limelight)
The ‘PainBytes’ series has 7 episodes that can be viewed like a TV series, in order or as the viewer priorititises, and episodes can be revisited as needed. Each episode contains young person and health professional video bytes alongside written information and interactive activities for young people in pain.
In addition to the website going live, Minister Skinner presented a symbolic package of 11 books to the Head of the State Library to acknowledge the role that libraries have in supporting the significant minority of consumers who access the internet through their local library and those who prefer printed material. The book pack, which includes 3 books for children with pain and their families, has been given to 81 central libraries across NSW to promote equity of access to information that might help people in pain to live well.
The website is part of continuous quality improvement. I hope it will remain responsive to emerging evidence and consumer and stakeholder feedback. Please send any feedback on PainBytes or the broader Website resources via email to Jenni Johnson, ACI Pain Network Manager.
Dr Susie Lord
Senior Staff Specialist
Children’s Complex Pain Service
John Hunter Children’s Hospital
Australian Pain Society 