Health Minister Tim Nicholls opens North Queensland Persistent Pain Management Service at Townsville University Hospital
Having struggled with severe pain for a long time, the opening of a new centralised location for treatment is great news for patients like David Creighton.
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Having struggled with severe pain for a long time, the opening of a new centralised location for pain treatment at the Townsville University Hospital is great news for David Creighton.
Mr Creighton initially experienced problems after dislocating his shoulder in 2007, but that qucikly developed into complex regional pain syndrome which left him battling severe nerve pain. .
“I eventually came good around 2013 and after that I had no symptoms for a while, then I had to get a knee replacement, a total knee replacement,” he said.
“I had that back in April last year and once again I started to develop complex regional pain syndrome [again].”
Having pain issues with his leg ever since, Mr Creighton says the opening of the new North Queensland Persistent Pain Management Service at Townsville University Hospital meant he could receive multidisciplinary care under one roof.
The $4.4 million service consists of six consulting rooms, three clinical interview rooms, a procedure room and a three-bed recovery and day infusion bay
The service will assist cancer patients, patients in palliative care and those with pain that is not responding to primary care.
“It’s a lot more convenient for those with mobility problems to access this unit and I’m very grateful,” Mr Creighton said.
Pain specialist and clinical director of the North Queensland Persistent Pain Management Service Hannah Bennett said she leads a large team of pain specialists, medical registrars, medical students, physiotherapists and occupational therapists.
“One in five Australian adults experience chronic pain, so this is really needed by our community,” she said.
Patients will be able to recieve care both in person and via telehealth the service will recieve more than 2000 referrals from patients in Townsville, down to Mackay, out west to the NT border and as high up as the Torres Strait.
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Originally published as Health Minister Tim Nicholls opens North Queensland Persistent Pain Management Service at Townsville University Hospital
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