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Chronic pain is complex and the most effective way to manage chronic pain is to approach it from various angles. A multidisciplinary program is the best way to provide a holistic and evidence based approach. 

Our team offers several programs that have been shown to improve a person’s ability to manage and live life again despite their chronic pain. All programs aim to provide education about chronic pain and support you as your learn the skills that will help you manage pain and regain your function long term. Your suitability for the programs will be determined in consultation with you following your assessments with our team. Prior to these assessments, you may be invited to attend a pre-Clinic Education Session.

Pre-Clinic Education

This a 2 hour education session held every month to provide an understanding of chronic pain and introduce the skills and techniques of pain management, to help you prepare for your appointment.

Reboot 

Reboot is a group pain management program held at St Vincent’s Hospital. The group runs one day a week (9.45am-3.30pm) for 10 weeks, on either a Wednesday or Thursday throughout the year.

The aim of the group is to equip you with knowledge, confidence and skills to help self-manage your pain, improve your quality of life and function. To achieve these aims the Reboot program provides information and training in:

  • Understanding chronic pain, how it works and how you can manage it differently
  • Improving your movement with stretching, strengthening, aerobic exercise and tai chi 
  • Managing your mood and improving the way you think and feel about pain
  • Using strategies, such as goal setting and pacing, to gradually increase your activity and return to doing things that are important to you
Rebalance 

Rebalance is a group management program specifically designed for those with lower levels of physical function who may need to start with more targeted balance and strengthening exercise, as well as for those aged over 65 years who experience chronic pain. The group runs for 3 hours (10.00am-1.00pm) a week over 6 weeks. The program covers the normal Reboot components in a less intensive format.

It is normal to feel anxious or worried about joining one of these groups. Some patients wonder if they will be able to cope with the hours. Please be assured that the programs are designed for people with chronic pain and are run by experienced team members. Past participants of the programs often report that a helpful part of the program was simply meeting others who also experience chronic pain as this condition can be quite isolating.

If you are unable to attend one of our face to face programs we also offer an online pain program that we have adapted “Reboot online”.

Reboot Online 

The Reboot Online Program is a collaboration between the Clinical Research Unit for Anxiety and Depression (CRUfAD), headed by Prof Gavin Andrews and the Department of Pain Medicine, St Vincent’s Hospital, Sydney, headed by A/Prof Steven Faux. 

We have developed this automated, clinician-guided pain management program that is delivered over the internet to consist of educational lessons, personalised graded exercise plans and video demonstrations, relaxation strategies and various resources to help patients learn to self-manage their pain and improve their quality of life.  Designed to enhance patient care, Reboot Online provides a low-cost, easily accessible intervention for patients with chronic pain who cannot be reached by our service, and for those who require additional support after completing the on-site Reboot Program. 

Reboot Online is based upon St Vincent’s Hospital’s ‘Reboot’ Pain Management Program (face-to-face service) and modelled on existing internet-delivered cognitive behaviour therapy (iCBT) programs successfully disseminated by the Clinical Research Unit for Anxiety and Depression (CRUfAD).

The Reboot Online program is unique in that it includes activity based components and a graded exercise program, alongside traditional CBT modules (including pacing, goal setting, activity planning, thought challenging, communication skills, reactivation and stress management).

https://thiswayup.org.au/how-we-can-help/courses/chronic-pain/ 

What is the evidence for this program?

To gain preliminary evidence of the feasibility and acceptability of Reboot Online, we have conducted a consumer focus group (May, 2015), and a pilot trial with 20 patients with chronic pain (completion date: 30 September, 2015). To further evaluate this program, we completed an Australia-wide randomised controlled trial (RCT) to compare the acceptability, feasibility and efficacy of Reboot Online to a control group who receives ‘usual care/treatment’ for chronic pain.

If you are a patient and are interested in our online program you need be referred to the program by your clinician (Dr, nurse, physiotherapist or psychologist). 

Clinicians need to be registered to be able to refer a patient. Clinicians can register at www.thiswayupclinic.org/users/clinicianRegistration

If you are interested in one of our programs make sure to discuss this with our team at your pain clinic assessment appointment.

Aboriginal Medical Service

Our multidisciplinary team here at St Vincent’s Pain Clinic are committed to closing the gap for Aboriginal people living with chronic pain. As a result since 2015, we have been offering clinic sessions and case conferencing for patients at the Aboriginal Medical Service in Redfern. We provide patient assessment, education and management plans and the GPs can link people with local providers, such as exercise physiologist, psychiatrist, psychologist, and dieticians. 

Chronic Pain Outreach

Outreach Pain Management Education and Services between Southern NSW Local Health District, COORDINARE and St Vincent’s Health Network was established in 2015 with the vision to facilitate capacity building education for GPs and allied health practitioners that will reinforce a shared evidence base for chronic pain management in the community. Our multidisciplinary team provides four annual outreach visits that involves delivering rural education weekends and running pain clinics in Sothern NSW (i.e. Eurobodalla and Moruya, Narooma, Batemans Bay, Goulburn, Yass, Queanbeyan, Bega, Pambula, Merimbula, Cooma, Jindabyne).