Kick Start Pain Management Programme- For Referral

Program Aims

Through the Kick Start program we aim to:

• Reduce the overall number of appointments needed, thereby reducing the overall cost and burden of treatment
• Accelerate engagement in treatment and improve outcomes
• Help people get back to living their lives
• Help people to re-engage with the workforce as quickly and effectively as possible.

Evidence Based Approach

At the heart of the Kick Start program is an evidence based approach to chronic pain. The program provides a springboard to help people work more effectively with us while they are at the pain centre and get back into life.

The literature on chronic pain stresses the importance of providing people with chronic pain with evidence-based education and active self-management coping strategies, while encouraging a return to normal functioning. This is generally best achieved from a multidisciplinary treatment model, and emphasising a focus in increasing functional capacity over pain reduction.

Local guidelines encourage the same approach. The WorkCover NSW guidelines, those provided by the Agency for Clinical Innovation, and those in the NSW Health Pain Management Report all suggest that chronic pain management best practice involves a biopsychosocial approach. Using this aproach the person is supported and encouraged to self-manage, and they receive treatment with a cognitive-behavioural focus (Kaiser et al, 2015). Group programs have been shown to be effective and to add to overall treatment outcomes (Haldorsen et al, 2002).

When a person adopts this approach, they are more likely to engage in activities that will help in the long term, leading to fewer pain specialist appointments, reduced reliance on medications to cope, reduced disability costs, and better return to work outcomes.

What The Program Involves

The Kick Start program provides:

• An orientation to the biopsychosocial model of chronic pain
• Education about the mechanisms of pain in the body
• An understanding of how medical, psychological and physiotherapy approaches come together
• An explanation about the role of psychology in helping to cope better with pain and improve quality of life
• An introduction to core concepts such as pacing
• Education about the importance of increasing physical activity in a graded or planned way
• An understanding of pain medication and its function, so that people are better informed on their pharmacological management.
• An Introduction to the benefits of Mindfulness Meditation
• Encouragement to take action now by starting to be more active and looking after their psychological wellbeing.

Kick Start Referrers

You will need the Adobe Reader to view and print the above documents.