FPM Board meeting update - September 2025

Governance 

ANZCA Strategic Plan 2026-2028

The ANZCA Council have approved the new strategic plan. Our purpose continues to be to serve our patients, public, and workforce by leading high quality care in anaesthesia, pain medicine and perioperative medicine to optimise health and wellbeing and reduce the burden of pain.

From this purpose flow four major objectives:

1. To promote professional standards and safe high quality patient care in anaesthesia, pain medicine, and perioperative medicine.
2. To promote education in anaesthesia, pain medicine, and perioperative medicine.
3. To ensure the wellbeing of fellows, trainees, specialist international medical graduates and staff.
4. To advance the science and practice of anaesthesia, pain medicine, and perioperative medicine.

Our vision as a college and faculty is “to be a recognised world leader in training, education, research, and in setting standards for anaesthesia, pain medicine, and perioperative medicine”.

Reconciliation Action Plan and the Te Tiriti o Waitangi Action Plan

The new Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan 2025-2027 (RAP) has been launched. Underpinned by the RAP framework of relationships, respect and opportunities, our RAP reflects our ongoing and renewed commitment to our reconciliation vision, supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ training and career opportunities, health and wellbeing. This plan builds on the achievements of our first RAP and outlines clear, measurable actions to drive reconciliation outcomes both within our institution and through our circle of influence. Further details are available on the website. 

The Te Tiriti o Waitangi Action Plan was endorsed by ANZCA Council and identifies the many initiatives and activities the college is undertaking, to foster an inclusive, equitable, and culturally responsive environment that reflect our dedication to the wellbeing of Māori fellows, trainees and all peoples of Aotearoa. This document will underpin the Te Tiriti o Waitangi Roadmap. 

Call for nominations for the 2026 FPM Board

The faculty will shortly commence the process for the election of the 2026 FPM Board, for two vacancies. Call for nominations will be sought between 29 October and 12 November 2025 and if more nominations than vacancies are received, the faculty will proceed to an election in late January 2026. 

Strategy

FATES project: Developing flexible accreditation pathways for pain medicine training in rural settings

Two Level 1 applications for accreditation were received from Grampians Health Services in Ballarat and Mackay Base Hospital. 

Grampians Health Services in Ballarat was approved for Level 1 training, and the unit was also informed on the day of the accreditation review that they were successful in their bid for Victorian Medical Specialist Training (VMST) funding to fund a pain medicine trainee at $110,000 per annum for two years. This funding was subject to accreditation being successfully attained, demonstrating the value of the FATES program in enabling access to funding for regional units.

Mackay Base Hospital has an accreditation visit scheduled for October.

Development of Australian health practitioner pain management education standards

The FPM Board approved the government-funded draft Australian Standards for Health Practitioner Pain Management (“the Standards”) which will be submitted to government for approval by 13 October 2025. The Standards define the level of quality that should be expected for health practitioner pain management education and training in Australia and guide its development and delivery.

While use and uptake of the Standards once approved by government will be voluntary, it is hoped that relevant health practitioners, educators, organisations and regulatory authorities will adopt the Standards in the development, delivery and evaluation of new education and training initiatives and in ongoing continuous improvement of education and training curricula.

FPM International Education Network terms of reference

The FPM Board approved the terms of reference for the new FPM International Education Network, which will be launched by early 2026.

The new network will report to the Training and Assessment Executive Committee (TAEC) and aims to support international FPM fellows and trainees engaging with the FPM training program outside Australia and New Zealand, which includes Hong Kong and Singapore.

The network will provide a platform for international FPM fellows and trainees to share insights, access support, raise issues, and contribute to the development and continuous improvement of educational activities.

Advocacy

Dean Dr Dilip Kapur has written to Grattan Institute Health Program Director, Peter Breadon, in response to the report Special Treatment: Improving Australians’ Access to Specialist Care. The letter welcomes the report’s focus on access and equity but highlights critical omissions and misrepresentations relating to pain medicine, particularly around misleading workforce growth figures, inequitable Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) funding arrangements, and systemic training and workforce barriers. It also reinforces FPM’s advocacy for rural and remote access and notes areas of alignment with the report, including equity of access, training reform, MBS reform, and the value of team-based care.

Professional affairs

ANZCA Media policy

The new ANZCA Media policy has been developed to provide guidance to fellows when approached by the media for comment. 

The overarching delegation will allow the president or dean to speak on behalf of the college, or they may refer a request for comment to a subject matter expert, to ensure that comments are consistent and represent the values and objectives of the college.

Any fellows who independently choose to speak to the media will need to declare that they are speaking on their own behalf. Fellows who are representatives on external committees or working groups will be encouraged to inform the ANZCA Communications team of any media comments made by these organisations. 

2025 FPM Spring meeting in Fremantle, Western Australia

Fellows interested in attending the upcoming Spring meeting are encouraged to register. Further details about the event and the program are available on the website. 

2026 FPM Spring meeting  

The faculty explored the option of holding the 2026 Spring Meeting as a satellite to the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) World Congress. Due to the associated costs and uncertainties regarding attendance and sponsorship, the FPM Board did not approve the proposal. The faculty will therefore not hold a Spring Meeting in 2026. Instead, members are encouraged to attend the Auckland FPM Symposium in May 2026, which will provide a valuable opportunity for education, networking, and collaboration.

ANZCA Awards – regulation 43 

Nominations for ANZCA Awards have commenced. The awards are a chance to recognise the contributions and outstanding achievements made by individuals. Nominations are adjudicated by the Awards Advisory Panel to maintain equity, consistency, access and governance standards across the college. Each nomination must be supported with three letters of support and submitted by 31 October 2025. Further details can be found on the website. 

Education and training 

FPM bylaws and Training Handbook

FPM bylaw 4 and the associated FPM Training Handbook have been updated with the following key assessment changes which are integral to the FPM assessment review:

• Retiring the written component of fellowship examination and introducing the foundation multiple choice question (MCQ) examination including transition arrangements.
• Expanding the scholar role options and including recognition of prior learning provisions.

FPM exams

The FPM written exam was held on 11 September, with 41 candidates sitting the exam. This will be the last year for the short answer questions (SAQs), with the faculty transitioning to multiple choice questions (MCQs) in 2026.

Accreditation

Decisions from meeting held on 25 June 2025:

FPM new fellows admitted to fellowship (as of 21 September 2025)

Dr Melani Mahendran, FAChPM FFPMANZCA FRACP

Dr Thea Morris, FCICM FFPMANZCA

Dr Andy Kwok, FFPMANZCA

Dr Maleeka Khullar, FFPMANZCA FRANZCP