Aug 19 2008
Letter to MHSA
The Minister for Mental Health & Substance Abuse,
The Hon Dr Jane Lomax-Smith,
Re: Assistance for Long Term Chronic Pain Sufferers
As Chairperson of our newly formed organisation, Dignity for Chronic Pain Sufferers (DFPS) I request a meeting with you to discuss issues related to provision of adequate pain relief. This matter is within your ministerial portfolio of Mental Health & Substance Abuse, and I am sure you will be distressed when you hear the full story.
The major issue centres on the way in which Authorities to Prescribe Opioid Medication are being handled by Drug and Alcohol Services SA (DASSA). The system previously worked well when the Drugs of Dependence Branch was located within the SA Health Commission (now Department of Health) but since it was transferred to DASSA, the system has deteriorated significantly. The main concern is that current provision denies adequate pain treatment for patients suffering severe, long term and non-malignant pain. This position leaves patients and their carers feeling abandoned, isolated and in considerable distress.
Others have tried to address the matter through appropriate legal action, only to discover that DASSA’s activities are lawful but are an immoral interpretation of the law and a breach of the intent of the original legislation.
What is more, many patients are being treated as if they are ‘drug addicts’. They are forced against their will to go to Waranilla, (a treatment facility for drug addicts) where they are treated by staff who have no expertise in pain management and who specialise in treating drug addiction only. The results are predictable and distressing.
This action has a number of undesirable consequences including the following: -
· These people are ill yet they are treated as drug abusers.
· They are denied freedom of choice in seeking their preferred health care professionals. This is a breach of human rights.
· There is a clear cut conflict of interest when the organisation currently regulating opioid medication (DASSA) also regulates itself as an opioid prescriber. This conflict is particularly curious given nature of DASSA’s role in employing the Authority mechanism and forcing patients to attend the (DASSA) drug addict treatment facility against their will.
· Staff at DASSA frequently make changes to prescribed drug regimens without consulting the prescriber and at times in the absence of any patient examination or contact. That is, dose reductions are imposed upon patients. The result is that many doctors are now refusing to treat chronic pain patients and it has created an acute shortage of appropriate care within the State.
As you are aware, many people suffer from medical conditions that cause much pain and suffering. In some cases pain relief may require high dosages of drugs including opioid medication. Their treating doctors have determined that they need this pain relief, yet DASSA has, in some cases stopped these people from legally obtaining their medication or reduced their dosage to levels which makes functioning problematic. In many cases DASSA has forced conditions upon patients and doctors which are unacceptable and improper. Examples include insisting upon pickup of medication daily or allowing methadone only as the analgesic for pain relief, even when this drug has been demonstrated as being ineffective in the individual patient or causes unacceptable and debilitating side effects. These changes to patient management have been conducted in a high handed manner with little regard for the welfare of patients.
As the Hon Sandra Kanck stated in her speech in Parliament last week, “these people are not addicted to drugs they are addicted to pain relief!” They require pain relief as a human right.
Given our plight, I request that you agree to meet with me as soon as possible to help to correct a major wrong. I am sure you could not support the current situation when all the facts are known to you.
We only wish to treat our loved ones with the respect they deserve and to allow them to live with a modicum of dignity.
I eagerly await your response.
Yours sincerely
Dignity for Chronic Pain Sufferers