B.C. aiming for provincial pain strategy: advocate

The British Columbia government is working on a provincial pain strategy that would provide greater access to services for chronic conditions such as arthritis, back pain and fibromyalgia, the head of a patients’ advocacy group says.

Maria Hudspith, executive director of PainBC, said a draft strategy has been completed for Health Minister Adrian Dix after consultations by his ministry with her group, patients, clinicians, researchers and the College of Physicians and Surgeons of B.C. Hudspith said input included initiatives and policies that have worked elsewhere, including Australia, which has a national pain strategy.

The strategy would set out guidelines for treatment and establish a connection between family doctors and other experts dealing in chronic pain and the use of opioids.

Ontario and Quebec are among provinces that have made investments in treating chronic pain by teams of experts such as primary care physicians, nurse practitioners, physiotherapists and social workers as patients’ groups work to create co-ordinated pain-management services.

“We are seeing provinces in different stages of development and we are the most far along in terms of having the most comprehensive strategy that I’ve certainly seen,” Hudspith said of B.C.’s draft pain strategy.

The health ministry said it is continuing to consult with stakeholders, but did not provide details about its plans.