SWOT Analysis
The board undertook its annual review of the faculty’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. This has helped identify key goals in line with the faculty’s strategic direction, in areas of fellowship satisfaction and engagement, increasing visibility of the faculty and the specialty, ensuring sustainability of training sites and economic value proposition of pain services in different settings.
The board endorsed the following key FPM advocacy priorities. Further consultation will take place with the regional and national committees and relevant key stakeholders at the upcoming FPM Spring Meeting, with the aim of developing an advocacy framework that will be aligned with ANZCA’s advocacy strategy and an advocacy work plan.
- Raising the profile of pain medicine as a specialty.
- Improving access to pain medicine services (regional and remote areas).
- Strengthening engagement with First Nations people.
- Ensuring health practitioners are well informed on best practice evidence-based assessment and care.
- Supporting the welfare and wellbeing of pain specialists.
- Encouraging research and innovation in pain medicine.
FPM engagement
The faculty is continually looking at ways of strengthening its relationship with FPM fellows, within Australia and overseas. Representatives from the Hong Kong College of Anaesthesiologists (HKCA) have accepted the invitation to attend the 2024 FPM Spring Meeting from 18 to 20 October 2024 at the Pullman Hotel in Auckland, New Zealand. Ms Martina Otten, Executive Director FPM and I will attend the HKCA Annual Scientific Meeting in November
FATES Project: Developing Flexible Accreditation Pathways for Pain Medicine Training in Rural Settings
The project has commenced with a survey circulated to FPM fellows exploring both the need for services and opportunities for training in rural settings. The results will be used to inform an in-depth review via focus group interviews in August and September 2024.
Australian standards for health practitioner pain management education
A governance advisory group has been formed, consisting of internal and external stakeholders, representatives from the multidisciplinary pain sector, the education sector and consumers. The aim will be to develop national standards for pain management education.
Pain device implant registry (PDIR)
The faculty has been working with the Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI) to submit a Medical Research Futures Fund (MRFF) grant application to develop a pain device implant registry. If successful a governance committee will be formed that will include clinicians, industry and health insurance representatives, community members and one or more members from the TGA.
The application has been supported by multiple stakeholder groups across the pain management sphere, including consumers, private health insurers, industry, academia and other health provider peak bodies.
As of writing of this report, the completed grant application has been submitted.
Research
I am pleased to announce that Professor Damien Finniss has agreed to take on the role of committee chair of the FPM Research Committee, replacing Dr Martine O’Neil who will step down from the role after the Spring meeting. I would like to extend my appreciation for Martine’s leadership and continued involvement with the faculty’s work in research.
Submission for Victorian Government Inquiry into Women's Pain
The faculty has made a submission in response to the Victorian government’s inquiry into women’s pain, which has generated a significant amount of feedback. A media release for the treatment of persistent pelvic pain was made in response.
FPM events
Dr Leinani Aiono-Le-Tagaloa has been selected as the Board Member-in-Residence at the 2025 Emerging Leaders Conference to be held at Thala Beach Nature Reserve, joining Dr Amrita Prasad, the new fellow board member and myself.
FPM by-laws
An amendment to by-law 15 “Regional and national committees of the faculty” has been proposed to the ANZCA Council for approval at its next meeting, to ensure that candidates nominating for election to the regional committees are FPM fellows.
Professional documents
In addition to the statement on persistent pelvic pain, the board approved the PS15(PM) persistent pelvic pain community information sheet.
Awards
Professor Brendan Moore (FANZCA, FFPMANZCA) was awarded an AM, Member of the Order of Australia in the 2024 Kings Birthday Honours List, for significant service to anaesthesiology, to pain medicine and to tertiary education.