Legislative Council Fifty-Third Parliament, First Session (53-1) 53 1 Parliament of South Australia Legislative Council published Question Time Question Time Chronic Pain Chronic Pain The Hon. K.L. VINCENT Legislative Council Chronic Pain The Hon. K.L. VINCENT (14:38): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the minister representing the Minister for Health about chronic pain management in South Australia. Leave granted. The Hon. K.L. VINCENT Legislative Council The Hon. K.L. VINCENT: In the past 2½ years my office has worked extensively with people living with chronic pain. We have advocated in relation to their regimes and other treatment plans. This is not an issue that many MPs or ministers want to go anywhere near, it would appear, and my office continues to feel either stonewalled or ignored when dealing with this issue on behalf of constituents through the minister's office. Throughout this period of time we have had meetings with constituents with chronic pain, chronic pain doctors, specialists, advocates, families and ministerial advisers. We have also met with chronic pain advocacy organisations Chronic Pain Australia and Dignity for Pain Sufferers. I am told that there are now excellent programs surrounding chronic pain around Australia that this state could model. For example, I understand Medicare Locals in Perth have comprehensive in-the-community programs for managing chronic pain. In New South Wales $26 million over four years has been allocated, while in Queensland $29 million has been apportioned to the same issue. The World Health Organisation acknowledges that chronic pain is a distinct disease. They say: …[chronic pain] is one of the most underestimated healthcare problems in the world today, causing major consequences for the quality of life of the sufferer and a major burden on the health care system in the Western world. We believe chronic pain is a disease in its own right. It is a basic human right to be able to access pain relief for chronic pain. Despite all this, South Australia still has a completely different approach to other states, including no strategic planning documents specific to chronic pain. My questions to the minister are: 1.	Why is chronic pain not specifically included in any strategic planning documents for SA Health? 2.	Why does SA Health not acknowledge chronic pain as a distinct disease in its own right? 3.	The current generational health plan that runs 2007-16 makes no mention of chronic pain. Will the next generational health plan include chronic pain? 4.	Who within SA Health has direct responsibility for chronic pain, and when will they commence the strategic planning required? 5.	Will the health minister do anything to expedite the 14-month waiting list to see a chronic pain specialist at the RAH? 6.	Why does SA Health appear to have an 'ignore it and it will go away' approach to chronic pain, in contrast to other Australian states and territories? 7.	As SA is the only state not to have adopted the recommendations of the National Pain Strategy 2010, why is this the case, and are there any plans to implement the recommendations? The Hon. I.K. HUNTER Legislative Council Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation) (14:41): I thank the honourable member for her most important questions on chronic pain programs in SA Health. I undertake to take that question to the minister in the other place and seek a response on her behalf.