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Chronic Pain Service | Counties Manukau

Public Service, Pain Management

Description

About Us

Chronic pain is usually described as pain lasting greater than 6 months. Chronic pain may or may not be associated with a disease or injury. It often lasts longer than expected for the usual course of a disease or injury. Chronic pain reduces a person's ability to function and impacts on their quality of life and emotional wellbeing.

More than 20% of New Zealanders experience chronic pain and the impact of pain often extends to family and friends.

Some of the most common chronic pain conditions are:

  • Musculoskeletal pain disorders e.g. chronic back pain, chronic neck or shoulder pain, fibromyalgia
  • Neuropathic pain
  • Phantom limb pain
  • Headache
  • Facial Pain
  • Atypical chest pain(s)
  • Abdominal pain with or without Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
  • Pelvic pain/endometriosis
  • Complex Pain in pregnancy
  • Persistent post-surgical pain
  • Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) *if not covered by ACC

*will see for urgent one-off medical assessment and advice regardless of ACC cover

The Chronic Pain Service is part of the Counties Manukau Department of Anaesthesia and Pain Medicine.  It aims to provide quality chronic pain assessment and intervention that is accessible and appropriate for the people of Counties Manukau. 

The Chronic Pain Service (CPS) includes professionals from a wide range of disciplines.  They all have experience in assessment and management of pain from their professional perspective.  The CPS team may include Anaesthetists, Nurses, Physiotherapists, Psychiatrists, Psychologists and Musculoskeletal Consultants.

Our aim is to restore functional ability and enable individuals to live as independently as possible, despite their pain.

Pain management involves learning different ways of thinking and acting so that pain interferes less with life.  A self-management approach requires an individual and their whānau to play an active role in their pain management and emphasises an improvement in quality of life and function, rather than a cure.

Staff

Our Team

Paul Vroegop

Clinical Lead, Psychiatrist, Pain Specialist

Helen Hanna

Charge Nurse Manager

Gary Collinson

Musculoskeletal Consultant

Keith Laubscher

Pain Specialist

Jennifer Dawson

Pain Specialist, Palliative Care Specialist

Rachel Sara

Pain Specialist, Consultant Anaesthetist

Sheela Perumal

Pain Fellow

Sarah Colgan

Senior Health Psychologist

Jessee Fia'ali'i

Senior Health Psychologist

Sonali Dutt

Health Psychologist

Velita Menezes

Clinical Nurse Specialist

Jane Cha

Health Psychologist, Intern

Summer Dawn

Advanced Clinician Physiotherapist

Lisa Ford

Advanced Clinician Physiotherapist

Angela Upsdell

Advanced Clinician Physiotherapist

Saleshni Chand

Scheduler / Administrator

 

Referral Expectations

The Chronic Pain Service provides a service for residents within the Counties Manukau area.  If you think you might benefit from our services, please talk to your GP about this.

 

Referral Criteria

·         Referral from GP, SMO, or RMO in clear consultation with SMO

·         Pain present for 6 months

·         All relevant investigations and interventions completed before referring to CPS

·         No open ACC claim associated with the pain

·         Age 17 or older

·         Lives in Counties Manukau district

·         Patient interested in learning active self-management strategies for living well with persistent pain – if not then please ask for “Specialist Advice Only”

·         History and description of pain problem to include current functional status. If relevant investigations were completed in private, send these with referral.

 

 

ACC patients: CPS does not hold an ACC contract and cannot see patients with an open ACC claim.

Patients 18 years and under:

  • If under 12, refer to Paediatric Medicine at Counties Manukau (referrals to Starship Complex Pain Service are only accepted from Paediatricians).
  • If aged 12-16 refer to Centre for Youth Health Adolescent Pain Clinic. eRef to: Youth Health - Medical (CMDHB)

Assessment

The multidisciplinary comprehensive pain assessment (or “triple assessment”) usually involves one 90 minute appointment with three clinicians.  During the appointment you will meet a specialist doctor, a member of the psychosocial team, and a physiotherapist. The assessment looks at your strengths, the strategies that you have developed for coping with the pain, and any areas for improvement.

The specialist doctor will ask about your current pain, any medication that you have had in the past, and your current medications. The doctor will review your previous assessment reports and test results.  Following this the doctor will talk to you about your pain condition.

The psychosocial team member (clinical nurse specialist or health psychologist) will explore ways that your pain is impacting upon your life and how you are currently managing this. They will listen to what issues you feel are most challenging and important to you.

The physiotherapist will explore your current abilities, any challenges regarding movement and daily activities, and how pain has impacted on your ability to manage. 

Treatment

After the assessment, the team will talk together about a treatment plan, and discuss the options with you.
Chronic pain often needs to be addressed with small changes in many areas. Some of these may be lifestyle changes. There is often education about pain, and an individualised programme for making changes to improve quality of life. We may invite you to one or more of our groups. Options include:

         Medication review and advice

         Individual physiotherapy – a set of sessions focused on helping you increase what you can do and achieve your functional goals

         Individual sessions with a psychologist or CNS – a set of sessions focused on developing your pain management strategies and coping skills

         Gym group (weekly)

         Relaxation group (once every 6 weeks)

         CARE pain self-management group – skills and education based, 1 morning per week for 6 weeks. Offered four times a year

         ACT group – graduate group based on Acceptance and Commitment therapy, 1 morning per week for 6 weeks. Offered three times a year

         Young Adults Group – skills and education based (CBT/ACT), 1 morning per week for 6 weeks, offered twice a year

         Maaori/Pasifika Group – 5 week group looking through Te Ao Maaori and Pasifika perspectives of pain, held on Saturdays, once a year

Fees and Charges Description

The Chronic Pain Service is funded by the Ministry of Health, so no charges apply. However, we are not contracted by ACC so patients under the care of ACC need to be referred to an ACC provider.

Refreshments

Food and refreshments can be purchased by the general public and staff at the cafe situated within Manukau SuperClinic™.

Cafe at Manukau SuperClinic -  Located at the main entrance
7.30am - 4.00pm (Monday - Friday)
Ph (09) 262 4294

Parking

Free parking is available for patients visiting the Manukau SuperClinic™.  All patient parking is clearly signposted around the Clinic. 

Disabled Parking spaces can be found near most of the entrances around the hospital.  Please ensure you display an authorised disabled parking pass at all times.

Patients may be dropped off or picked up from outside the main entrance.  Please consider others and remove cars as soon as possible.

There is a taxi stand available alongside the main entrance of the Clinic. 

Other

For information about parking, refreshments, travel directions, transport, accommodation, support services and maps, view the Manukau SuperClinic website.

Contact Details

Manukau SuperClinic™

South Auckland

Manukau SuperClinic has a Call Centre to receive incoming calls related to outpatient services.
The Call Centre is open to receive calls between 8.30am and 4.30pm Monday to Friday.

901 Great South Road
Manurewa
Auckland

Information about this location

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Get directions

Street Address

901 Great South Road
Manurewa
Auckland

Postal Address

Chronic Pain Service
Referrals & Appointment Centre
Manukau SuperClinic
PO Box 98743
Manukau 2241

This page was last updated at 10:37AM on August 19, 2024. This information is reviewed and edited by Chronic Pain Service | Counties Manukau.