D.F.P.S.

Good evening all, and apologies for a lack of recent updates.

If you have not had a chance to listen to Ashley Walsh on ABC radio recently, you probably would not have heard his interview with the Acting Manager of the Drugs of Dependence Unit (DDU), Mr Colin Brown. The interview was held on 2nd August 2011. The interview has really struck a nerve with those who have listened, and it has taken some time to formulate an appropriate response.

If you get a chance, listen to the interview and consider our rebuttal as follows:

The first statement, that the DDU liaises with the treating doctor, is false. The process that the treating doctor must follow is to fill out a form and then send it to the DDU for an authority to prescribe the medication. The response is an acceptance or rejection, again in writing. It should be noted that the treating doctor has already “arrived” at the appropriate dose that the doctor themselves deems appropriate and therefore applies for that level of authority to prescribe. Any reduction is a unilateral decision made by the DDU as our cases have described to date.

Secondly, the third statement made is that the review is conducted with the patient and/or the treating doctor – which is also false. It is only in the case of the treating doctor being a DASSA (Drug & Alcohol Services of South Australia) employee that there is there any written submission.

It should be noted that in the case where a treating doctor is a DASSA employee that their aim is to reduce all medication to zero as they are drug and alcohol abuse doctors. These doctors know little about pain and the fact their patients are in pain appears to be of no concern to them at all. They continue to hide behind the “hyper-algesia” theory which states that the more analgesia patients have, the worse their pain appears to be. That being the case, when medications are reduced, the pain should also subside. However this is not the case and as we’ve seen, the pain of patients continues to rise.

In fact, some of the world’s leading experts in pain management claim that “hyper-algesia” is extremely rare in humans.

The Acting Manager claimed that on average, around 7,500 patients receive drugs of dependence and that 95% of those cases responded to alternative therapies agreed to by the patient and treating doctor. He claims that 5% do not. This is approximately 375 patients. Alarmingly, this is close to the amount of cases that have submitted their stories to us here at the DFPS.

Another statement made is that there is an avenue of appeal for patients. This is also incorrect as the HCSCC only examine the process in place to ensure that the process has been followed. Now if the process is incorrect (as we contest it is) then a review of a bad process that is being followed will always pass any test given. This state has a designated ‘limit’ of “pain relief” per day and firmly believe that no patient should be above it because of the “hyper-algesia” theory. Nor do they believe that such medications be given long term.

Now, the Acting Manager also refers to these so called panel of experts as “Senior Pharmacists” who oversee the DDU process. We question why this is the case when pharmacists are by no means suited to fill the role of a treating doctor. Whilst these so called “experts” argue the dosage and length of time that patients should obtain such treatments, South Australians are being left to suffer. We have laws in South Australia to protect suffering animals, but no such laws for human beings.

These people only want to live their life with some modicum of dignity.

You can listen to the interview here: download

Greg went live to air on ABC radio on the 28th July 2011. You can download the interview here.

Just like the Adelaide Football Club, the DFPS is slowly starting to kick goals with the recent announcement of the State Government’s backdown with respect to the case of Trish Betros.

Readers may be aware that Trish has taken her case to the courts in an effort to regain her previous levels of prescribed opiates in order to ensure a quality of life. Like all members at the DFPS, Trish is still fighting a losing battle with chronic pain and has continually had her pain relief lowered over previous months – this along with the mere feeling of being treated like a drug addict.

“She has been the victim of a system under which personal doctors were not allowed to prescribe opiate painkillers to their own patients” said the InDaily. Whilst we gain one minor win in this drawn out process, Doctors are still struggling to find the courage to prescribe opiate medications to their patients. Often after 2 months they are referred back to the DDU to assess patients.

But the problem does not simply end here. The DFPS is mandated to “take up the cause for everyone out there.” as it is simply not acceptable. The DFPS will commence negotiations with SA Health to enable further dialog to be established.

Chronic Pain Australia president Coralie Wales said “These are medicines that are used for a particular reason, and Drug and Alcohol Services are not appropriate for many people in pain”.

The nation is watching South Australia.

With technical issues resolved, we bring a minor update to the website as Australia’s first National Pain Week draws to a close.  We reflect on the cause and the individuals whom we are concerned for this week.

Communities all over the country have joined to raise awareness about chronic pain, mainly through the media outlets available. In Adelaide, DFPS have been heavily involved in radio and television with our story going to air on Channel 10 news last night. We don’t have the video at this stage, but if it is made available we will send it out!

Some of our members have even been getting onto the Chronic Pain Australia website and showing their support for the cause through stories and letters of support.

We are constantly looking for new media angles, stories and messages of hope for our own community here at the DFPS. If you have any ideas or stories of your own, feel free to drop us an email.

Greg was interviewed by the ABC yesterday and the story has gone to the web today. Read it here.

Colin Shaw’s story was published today in The Australian. Read it here. What is even better is that Chronic Pain Australia president, Coralie Wales, indicates that the stigma surrounding pain sufferers is not just at a state level but also at a national level.

“In South Australia it seems that anyone who takes an opiate seems to be a suspicious character and you have to be fearful of opiates,” she said.

There has been an overwhelming in-flux of responses to Vicky Morris’ story that was published last week. In particular this from Judith Light:

My heart goes out to you Louise, something HAS to change, and soon. There is power in groups and this is why we need support organisations like the DFPS (Dignity for Chronic Pain Sufferers) and Chronic Pain Australia. One person is powerless against the system in place in SA but, it is a completely different story in other states. Maybe we should all move interstate!

The stress we feel due to chronic pain and our loss of self-determination is compounded by the very real fear of our general practitioners and even specialists. These medications were developed initially to alleviate pain for soldiers in the battlefield. Now we must fight a war also, but our enemy would seem to be our own government policies! I wonder, if our politicians lived in never ending pain and fear, how quickly our issues would be resolved for the benefit of all!

I have lived in pain daily for over thirty years now and pain sucks up what little energy I have left. I do consider myself so very fortunate to have a very loving and supportive partner but truly, without my husband I dread to think how I would cope, or even if I could?

Louise, do take advantage of every bit of help and information you can access from anyone and everywhere. Reach deep and keep your courage up. Easier said than done, I know, but without hope how could we carry on? Know that, in the middle of the night when you are crying, many of us are crying with you. May our tears touch the hearts and minds of those with the power to make the changes and just maybe, changes will come. Remember, information bring power!

I send you buckets of positive energy for the legislative revisions to the current system in SA that will allow all of us to live the life we are entitled to live in this society. To have the medications available that would lessen our pain, yet be denied them, is a crime against humanity.

Judith Light

A write up in The Adelaide Review went public this week about the plight of Vicky Morris, a chronic pain sufferer. The story, which can be read here, is quite moving and our thoughts go out to Vicky and her family.

Matt jumped onto Life FM last Friday for an interview with Jayne Lochert. You can hear his interview using the links below:

Part One

Part Two

In a recent HCSCC Media Release by South Australia’s Health and Community Services Complaints Commissioner, Leena Sudano, announced the release of the HCSCC Charter of Health and Community Services Rights.

The aim of the HCSCC is to ensure that those individuals who struggle to get adequate health and community services in SA, are able to have a voice to raise their concerns.

According to Ms Sudano, over 55% of people surveyed were un-aware as to their patient rights.

Ms Sudano did not address our cause specifically, but it would certainly be an interesting subject matter.