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TARPS (The Auckland Regional Pain Service)
Public Service, Pain Management, Anaesthesia, Cancer Network Group, Mental Health, Rheumatology
Description
The Auckland Regional Pain Service (TARPS) provides quality pain management to the people of Auckland and beyond. TARPS provides outpatient services including clinical assessment and management of acute and chronic pain utilising a multidisciplinary approach.
The TARPS team is made up of Pain Medicine Specialists, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Occupational Therapist, Psychiatrist, Physiotherapists, Psychologists and a Pain Fellow.
Some of the most common conditions treated by TARPS in adult patients:
- Musculoskeletal pain disorders e.g. chronic back pain, chronic neck with or without shoulder pain, fibromyalgia
- Neuropathic pain
- Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS)
- Phantom limb pain
- Headache
- Facial pain
- Post-herpetic neuralgia
- Atypical chest pain(s)
- Abdominal pain with or without Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
- Pelvic pain
Consultants
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Dr Tipu Aamir
Pain Medicine Specialist
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Dr Leinani Aiono-Le-Tagaloa
Pain Medicine Specialist/Consultant Anaesthetist
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Dr Trevor Coe
Specialist Anaesthetist / Pain Medicine Specialist
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Dr Kieran Davis
Pain Medicine Specialist/Consultant Anaesthetist
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Dr Brigitte Gertoberens
Specialist Anaesthetist/Pain Medicine Specialist
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Dr Jane Thomas
Specialist Anaesthetist / Pain Medicine Specialist
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Dr Wei Tong
Specialist Anaesthetist
Ages
Adult / Pakeke, Older adult / Kaumātua
How do I access this service?
Referral
Referral Expectations
At TARPS we prefer to work in collaboration with your General Practitioner and expect that all referrals will be made in consultation with the General Practitioner. We are a tertiary, regional service and so expect that you will have had a medical work-up at the primary care level and that appropriate specialist consultation has occurred.
The Triage Team has the responsibility of screening the referrals. A decision is then made about the most appropriate clinical discipline to see you. On some occasions only a physical assessment will occur and on others a psychosocial and physical assessment as well as a physical capacity evaluation (with a Physiotherapist).
We manage separate waiting lists for ADHB and ACC patients. We see all ADHB patients as routine unless they have a cancer diagnosis; we have maintained ESPI (Elective Services Patient Flow Indicators) compliance for our ADHB patients consistently for several years. We see ACC patients under our ACC contracts.
Charges
There are no charges for citizens or those with permanent residency when they are treated in the public hospital. All non-residents and visitors to will be billed for the full cost of the consultations and treatment.
The only exception to this is for the treatment of accidents where the cost of treatment can be paid for by the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC).
Hours
Outpatient sessions are held at Greenlane Clinical Centre.
You must have an appointment to attend any of these sessions (see 'referral expectations' section below)
General Outpatients:
Monday/Tuesday (9:00am - 4.30pm)
TARPS (Building 7):
Monday - Friday (8.00am - 4.30pm)
Procedures / Treatments
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Comprehensive pain assessment
The management of complex chronic pain often requires the skills of several pain specialists working together to provide a comprehensive assessment and treatment plan. At the time of initial assessment a referral may be made to other clinicians within the multidisciplinary team. More
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Medication management
Identification of appropriate pharmacological agents for possible short or long-term maintenance.… More
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Outpatient Interventional Clinic
Provision of a range of interventional treatments with full theatre, X-ray and recovery room facilities. Procedures include nerve blocks, joint injections, medication infusions, externalised and implanted intrathecal pumps and Spinal Cord Stimulators. More
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Outpatient Physiotherapy
A musculoskeletal assessment and/or physical capacity evaluation will be offered to those patients referred following their comprehensive pain assessment.… More
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Pain Management
There is the opportunity either individually or in small groups to explore and refine a range of coping strategies and techniques shown to be useful for persons coping with persistent pain. The general aim of these sessions is to improve participation in daily activities and enhance quality of life. … More
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Comprehensive 3-week Pain Management Programme
The Pain Management Programme is a structured 3-week course (Monday to Friday - 8.15am to 3.00pm) for patients with chronic non-malignant pain. It has been designed to help when standard medical or surgical treatment may have provided little, or minimal relief from pain.… More
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Drop-in Relaxation Group
For patients who have completed their initial assessment at TARPS, there is an open invitation to attend a drop-in group relaxation class on Wednesday 12:00 - 12:50. No appointment is necessary.… More
Website
Contact Details
Greenlane Clinical Centre
Central Auckland
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Phone
(09) 631 1234 or 0800 631 1234
Email
Website
Patient enquiries: (09) 375 4300
Known extension: (09) 307 4949
Outpatient appointments and surgical booking enquiries: (09) 638 0400 or scheduling@adhb.govt.nz
Mental Health Services 24 Hour Crisis Line: 0800 800717
214 Green Lane
Epsom
Auckland 1051
Street Address
214 Green Lane
Epsom
Auckland 1051
Postal Address
Greenlane Clinical Centre
Private Bag 92 189
Auckland Mail Centre
Auckland 1142
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This page was last updated at 11:05AM on December 21, 2021. This information is reviewed and edited by TARPS (The Auckland Regional Pain Service).