Pain BC. Changing Pain. Changing Minds.
April 2018 Update
From Our Executive Director, Maria Hudspith 
 
What is the role of education in transforming how pain is understood and treated in BC?
 
Education - for people living with pain, for health care providers and for policy makers - is central to Pain BC's mission. We know that some of the most impactful change can come from changing attitudes, building skills and empowering people to do, and be, different. A few highlights of educational initiatives underway at Pain BC: 
 
Clinical workshops: health care providers across BC are keen to learn skills in pain assessment and management. We run workshops for health care providers from many different disciplines including occupational therapists, chiropractors, registered massage therapists and others. Our last three workshops were sold out, with over 120 practitioners participating. 
 
Interdisciplinary webinars: once health care providers have learned foundational skills through one of our clinical workshops, we invite them to join our provincial network. We engage this interdisciplinary group of learners in monthly webinars on topics related to working with people in pain: narrative medicine, nutrition, and psychological impacts of pain are just a few.  
 
Educational resources for people in pain: Live Plan Be is our main hub for evidence-based, interactive self-management content that helps people take a more active role in managing their pain. Our forum is a safe place for peer support and our "Ask the Expert" events connect pain experts and patients for live chat around important issues. Our Facebook page has created a diverse online community of more than 7000 people who share resources, turn to each other for support, and learn about the latest research. 
 
Support for people in pain: while not purely educational, our Coaching for Health program matches highly trained volunteers with people in pain for one-to-one self management support. Coaches are there to listen, to help identify goals and to help put in place practical steps towards them. The program is free and available through referral by a primary care provider. 
 
Training specifically for physicians: Pain BC was a major catalyst behind the Practice Support Program for pain, an initiative aiming to build skills and confidence to manage chronic pain among GPs. The program has been running for a few years and several hundred GPs have participated. A revised version is under development and Pain BC is working with UBC Faculty of Medicine's Continuing Professional Development office and the Doctors of BC to make this new program more interactive and impactful. These partners, as well as the College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC, the Canadian College of Family Physicians, the BC Centre on Substance Use, and the Ministry of Health participate in Pain BC's Primary Care Education Working Group; the Working Group is focused on educational initiatives that will improve pain treatment in communities across BC. 
 
Watch this space to learn more as our work, and that of our partners, continues to grow and develop! 
 
TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
Live Plan Be  Connect for Health
 
Opportunities to Support Pain BC 
 
2018 Pain BC Membership
 
Please support us by becoming a 2018 Pain BC Member. Your membership fee will support our organization and provide us with more influence in BC. Membership fees are on a sliding scale and start at $15 for the year. 
 
 
Your Pain BC membership allows you to vote at our upcoming Annual General Meeting where you can learn about Pain BC's work to improve the lives of British Columbians living with pain and hear about our plans for 2018 and beyond.
 
Attendance at the AGM is open to the public but you must be a member to vote. For those interested but unable to attend in person, remote participation will be available via video link. Please indicate in the registration form below if you are interested in attending virtually.
 
Pain BC Annual General Meeting
April 15th, 2018 from 2:00-3:00 pm PT
 
Pain BC Webinar | From Painful to Playful: An Intuitive Approach to Pediatric Pain Management 
Apr 18, 2018 from 12pm-1pm
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Join Claire Brown,Certified Child Life Specialist from BC Children’s Hospital in this FREE webinar to explore the use of play in managing pediatric pain. Participants will learn about the profile of the pediatric patient and how children/youth experience and react to pain at each stage of their development.
 
 
In the Spotlight: Pain BC's Allied Health & Nursing Working Group 
 
Non-pharmacological therapies are a vital part of managing chronic pain. However, many barriers exist in accessing allied health care services. These include:
  • Cost: Allied health care services are excluded or only partially covered by provincial medical plans. Many people living with pain are not able to afford these treatments.
  • Accessibility: Allied health services are not available in all communities.
  • Awareness: Health care providers and patients may not be aware of the benefits of allied health care in managing chronic pain.
In addition, not all allied health professionals have training in pain management.
 
Made up of 14 members representing allied health care associations, clinical experts, policy makers, and educators, the Allied Health & Nursing working group is championing an interdisciplinary, team-based approach to supporting people living with chronic pain. The objectives of this group are to:
  • Improve accessibility and use of allied health and nursing services 
  • Increase the visibility and awareness of the contributions these professions offer to pain management among physicians, government and people living with pain 
  • Demonstrate and communicate the value of allied health and nursing professionals on interdisciplinary teams 
The group is currently working on two initiatives:
 
Allied Health Approaches to Pain Management: An Educational Tool for Health Care Providers is underway and will increase awareness of non-pharmacological options for pain management. It will support physicians in making referrals to Allied Health professionals in BC, and help patients make informed decisions about their care.
 
Chronic Pain Education Opportunities for Health Care Providers: This initiative includes an environmental scan of chronic pain educational opportunities available to allied health care professionals. As an outcome of this project, we will be able to determine any existing educational gaps and create new learning opportunities to increase the capacity of allied health care providers.
 
Pain BC is grateful for the dedication, time and expertise offered by the volunteer members of the Allied Health & Nursing working group. By aligning our efforts around a common agenda - to improve the lives of people living with pain – we’re making a difference.
 
Chronic Pain Management for Registered Massage Therapists 
Workshop Available in Vancouver and Kelowna
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In partnership with RMTBC, this workshop for registered massage therapists provides an opportunity to learn how modifications of traditional massage therapy practices can increase success and improve outcomes for people in pain. The course will challenge misconceptions about pain as we learn the basics of incorporating a biopsychosocial framework into daily practice behaviour.
 
Sept 30, 2018 - Kelowna Register now
Oct 14, 2018 - Vancouver Register now 
 
Phone-based Support Services for People in Pain 
 
Pain BC's two main support services are Connect for Health and Coaching for Health. 
 
Our Connect for Health program provides free, non-medical phone support to people in pain. Common issues include housing, disability, employment, food security, child care, and isolation to name a few.
 
Our Coaching for Health program is a referral-based program specifically for individuals 18+ years of age, who have been living with pain for at least 6 months. Our highly trained volunteers provide one-on-one support over the phone to help people in pain with self-management skills, regaining function and improving well-being. 
 
Study: Pain and the Overdose Crisis 
Study extended until April 30, 2018
 
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Pain BC has partnered with researchers on a study assessing the impact of the overdose crisis on people living with pain in Quebec and in British Columbia. If you're living with chronic pain, you are invited to participate in this study regardless of whether you are taking opioids. Your answers will contribute to a better understanding of the impact of the opioid crisis on chronic pain patients.
 
Those who complete the entire questionnaire will be entered for a chance to win one of two $100 prepaid Visa® gift cards.
 
 
Feedback Requested: Chronic Pain Management Roadmap 
 
The Powell River Division of Family Practice has created a Chronic Pain Management Roadmap that aims to support chronic pain patient care by promoting the use of self-management tools and other helpful resources. They would like your feedback on whether you think it meets the needs of chronic pain patients and/or primary care providers. 
 
 
Opportunity for Older Adults: Pain Self-Management Program 
 
Graduate research students at the University of Regina are looking for people in pain 65+ years of age to join their online self-management program. The program is based on principles of cognitive behavioural therapy and will provide participants with effective techniques for managing thoughts, behaviours and moods associated with pain. Those interested should contact Ainsley MacIntyre directly at (306) 585-4428 or aam549@uregina.ca.
 
UPCOMING WEBINARS: IN PARTNERSHIP WITH WWDPI
 
 
CHRONIC MIGRAINE IN PRIMARY CARE
Apr 11, 2018 - 9:00 am PT
Chronic migraines cause significant disability for many people so it is important that it be appropriately diagnosed and treated.
 
LIVING A HEALTHY LIFE WITH CHRONIC CONDITIONS
Apr 18, 2018 -11:00 am PT
​Dealing with chronic conditions on a daily basis can affect one’s emotional, physical and mental well-being. As a result, it is essential to learn different strategies to live a healthier life with chronic conditions. 
 
PREVENTION OF MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDERS: THE NEED FOR CHANGE
May 1, 2018 - 4:00 pm PT
The effects on MSD risk of the physical requirements of work performance are well recognized; but there is now ample evidence that work-related psychosocial hazards can also have substantial effects.
 
OPIOIDS, MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDERS, AND WORK-RELATED OUTCOMES
Jun 7, 2018 - 11:00 am PT
More details coming soon.
 
EVIDENCE INFORMED TIPS FOR PHYSICIANS ADDRESSING SICK LEAVE, STAY AT WORK AND RETURN TO WORK
Jul 18, 2018 - 11:00 am PT
More details coming soon.
 
MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS AND WORK: INDIVIDUAL FACTORS IMPACTING EMPLOYMENT STATUS
Jul 26, 2018 - 11:00 am PT
More details coming soon.
 
 
Pain BC is a program partner for the Chronic Pain Webinar Series hosted by the Work Wellness and Disability Prevention Institute. 
UPCOMING PAIN BC AND PARTNER EVENTS 
 
 
WEBINAR | FROM PAINFUL TO PLAYFUL: AN INTUITIVE APPROACH TO PEDIATRIC PAIN MANAGEMENT
Apr 18, 2018 - 12 pm PT
Join Claire Brown, Certified Child Life Specialist from BC Children’s Hospital, to explore using play to manage pediatric pain. 
 
WEBINAR | SUFFERING, STORIES AND HEALING: NARRATIVE MEDICINE TOOLS FOR HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS
May 30, 2018 - 12 pm PT
In this webinar, join Katrina Genuis, M. Litt, MD to explore the difference between pain and suffering.
 
WEBINAR | THE MYOACTIVATION SYSTEM OF PAIN CARE
Jun 7, 2018 - 12 pm PT
In this webinar, Dr. Greg Siren will explain the myoActivation trigger point injection-based treatment modality being used for people living with chronic pain by clinicians at the myo Clinic, BC Children's Hospital, Downtown Eastside Community Health Centre and CHANGEpain clinic.
 
WORKSHOP | CHRONIC PAIN MANAGEMENT FOR CHIROPRACTORS
This workshop is intended for chiropractors or students of chiropractic interested in developing or enhancing sound clinical skills in the assessment and treatment of people living with complex and chronic pain.
Sept 29, 2018 - Vancouver Register now
 
WORKSHOP| CHRONIC PAIN MANAGEMENT FOR REGISTERED MASSAGE THERAPISTS
This workshop provides RMTs with an opportunity to learn how modifications of traditional massage therapy practices can increase success and improve outcomes for people in pain.
Sept 30, 2018 - Kelowna Register now
Oct 14, 2018 - Vancouver Register now
 
 
 
Pain BC programs and initiatives are funded, in whole or in part, by the Government of British Columbia.
 
In the News
In the News 
 
Recent changes to the CPSBC opioid prescribing guidelines may have a damaging impact on the treatment of chronic pain in BC.
 
Advocates touch on the need for a national pain strategy to better address the gaps present in current provincial health care systems.
 
The vast majority of recent overdoses in Canada can be attributed to fentanyl and not prescription opioids.
 
Insights from a mental health advocate who has personally found it difficult to reach out in the past.
 
 

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Pain BC Society
800 - 525 West 8th Avenue
Vancouver, BC V5Z 1C6

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