Across Australia, 3.6 million people live with chronic pain. Our Chronic Pain Service supports people on their pain journey, helping them understand their condition and take steps forward in ways that work for them. This approach is improving health and wellbeing outcomes every day and driving innovation in the sector. This is Charlie’s story.
A GP referral for effective pain management
Twenty-two-year-old Charlie* realised their chronic pain was becoming unbearable when they couldn’t leave the house.
“I’ve always worked from home, so I was able to work, but things like doing chores and showering were really difficult,” says Charlie, a disabled trans person who lives with migraines, fibromyalgia, endometriosis, chronic fatigue and autism.
“I couldn’t walk very far without being in a lot of pain, so I was limited to just being in my home and doing my work. I didn’t really leave the house,” says Charlie.
In 2023, their GP referred them to our Chronic Pain Service. A multidisciplinary pain management program for people who live with persisting pain, the service aims to facilitate recovery and improve health and wellbeing outcomes.
This was Charlie’s first experience of Holstep Health. Since then, they have been internally referred to our occupational therapy team and say the support they’ve received has made life and their experience of pain much easier.
“I can leave the house and go to the shops if I need to, which was just not an option. Back then, I couldn’t function with the pain, whereas now that’s something I can do. I still experience pain, but now it’s more like background noise, instead of being the main thing determining how I was feeling.”
Delivering respectful, person led care
Charlie was clear from the start, that they wanted to live life as a disabled person without chronic pain. They also didn’t want to be touched.
In line with our commitment to delivering responsive and respectful care, our pain physiotherapist, Nicole, was keen to learn about and uphold Charlie’s boundaries, and to support them to work towards their individual goals.
“Targeting pain and improving function is a key aspect of why people are drawn to do the work, but what that looks like in practice is different for everyone,” says Nicole, who helped to establish the service. “Normally I would seek someone’s consent to touch them as part of my treatment, but I was very happy to be led by Charlie and support them.”
Together Nicole and Charlie explored the story of Charlie’s pain, and how it had started in response to their experience of family violence growing up.
“Realising that pain played an important role as a protective tool in my past has enabled me to meet it with neutrality and compassion, and to recognise I don’t need it to protect me now like I did then,” says Charlie, who says they found Nicole curious, open, communicative and responsive.
Providing care faster and closer to home
Charlie is one of more than 122 people who access free care from our Chronic Pain Service every year.
A typical treatment pathway involves a few early, intensive sessions including personalised assessment, then a treatment plan and active treatment. Some people thrive with one-to-one care, whereas others prefer a group program.
Nicole referred Charlie to our Occupational Therapy service. Here we supported Charlie with a shower stool, kitchen stool, wheelchair and ramp, to make it easier for Charlie to get out and about. We also prepared a functional capacity assessment for Charlie’s NDIS application, which was successful.
Another important aspect of our Chronic Pain Service is its focus on contributing to the broader service system to support an integrated, responsive approach. At some hospitals the waiting time for pain services can be as long as 6-12 months, but at Holstep Health the average wait time is just 45 days.
This shows how supporting people in a community health setting helps to reduce strain at hospitals and make consumers more comfortable faster.
Nicole says it’s a privilege to walk alongside people as they find and harness their strengths.
“We support people who are taking hard, vulnerable journeys with pain. Witnessing them find strength, wisdom and agency in themselves to use for their recovery – whatever that looks like for them – is humbling.”
Program Impact
| 133 | people were connected to the service, gaining access to tailored support. |
| 122 | people started the program, receiving care and guidance to meet their goals. |
| 82% | of people met or partially met their goals, achieving meaningful outcomes. |
| 91.7% | of people reported making some overall improvement |
| 90% | of people reported a significant improvement in how pain interferes with daily life |
| 91.7% | reported an improvement in their physical abilities |
| 89% | of people reported a significant improvement in pain catastrophising |
| 45 days | average wait to be seen, significantly lower than most hospital wait times. |
| People reported lower average healthcare utilisation, including fewer visits to GPs, specialists and other health professionals, at completion of the service. |
* Consumer name has been changed for privacy.
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