September 2019 Newsletter
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From our Executive Director, Maria Hudspith
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Clinical education is a core component of Pain BC’s mission; Our wide range of continuing education opportunities are based on a laddered strategy that aims to increase chronic pain capacity among health care providers of all disciplines.
We currently offer two online programs that provide self-paced, free education for all health care providers in BC.
Pain Foundations
supports health care professionals to improve their baseline knowledge on chronic pain and prepares them for more in-depth study. Our
Gentle Movement & Relaxation Course
provides physiotherapists, kinesiologists and other therapeutic movement professionals with knowledge and resources to lead their own movement and relaxation programs for people with pain in their local communities.
Our in-person chronic pain management workshops offer an opportunity for chiropractors, occupational therapists and registered massage therapists to build discipline-specific skills and knowledge for assessing and treating people with pain. Workshops are evidence-based and led by clinical faculty, and attendees are eligible for continuing education credits.
A full list of upcoming workshops can be accessed here
. Similarly, we have collaborated with the Doctors of BC’s Practice Support Program (PSP) and UBC Continuing Professional Development to develop new chronic pain learning modules for primary care physicians.
It’s been an incredible journey to witness the growth of Pain BC’s education programs since the organization’s inception in 2008. I’m excited to see what lays ahead as we continue to partner with like-minded people, organizations and other stakeholders to share knowledge, build skills and instill confidence in health care providers to assess and manage pain.
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Our supports for people with pain
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Access our free pain self-management resources, including articles, assessment tools, and an anonymous discussion forum.
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Connect with a trained volunteer to talk about your pain, get help with finding a new physician, find information on community resources, and much more.
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Starting fall 2019, join an in-person group and build a community of support while learning about pain, pain management and coping strategies.
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Receive one-on-one phone support and mentorship from a coach who will help you learn about self-management, regaining function and improving your well-being.
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Opportunity to participate: Pain Support and Wellness Group Volunteer Facilitator
Fort St. John
Pain Support and Wellness Groups
are the latest addition to
Pain BC’s programs for people in pain
. The in-person groups will offer an opportunity for people living with persistent pain to meet regularly and build a community of support while learning about pain, pain management and coping strategies.
We're currently looking for a volunteer facilitator to help lead a group in Fort. St John.
If you or anyone you know lives with pain in Fort St. John and would like to get involved in managing a support network in this community, we encourage you to apply or share this opportunity with them.
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Request for feedback: Survey on chronic vs. persistent pain
"Chronic" and "persistent" pain are words that are often used interchangeably to describe pain that lasts for longer than 3 months. While the World Health Organization has recently added "chronic pain" to the International Classification of Diseases (ICD), some people with pain and health care providers prefer the term "persistent pain." In order to better understand how and why individuals and organizations use these words, Pain BC has put together a brief survey that should take no longer than five minutes to complete. We would greatly appreciate if you would take the time to let us know your thoughts.
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Election Action 2019: Resources to help ensure your voice is heard
Elections are the perfect time to let candidates know about the issues and concerns that matter to Canadians. With chronic pain impacting more than 20% of people living in Canada, it’s time to let candidates know that we need national action on pain!
There are many ways you can reach out to your local candidates and make sure your voice is heard in this election, whether it’s via email, on social media, or in person. To make it easier for you, we have put together several ideas and resources – including a letter template you can use, suggested social media posts, and contact information.
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Research spotlight: Dr. Kenneth Craig inducted as a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences
Dr. Kenneth Craig was recently inducted into the
Canadian Academy of Health Sciences
(CAHS)
as a 2019 Fellow. Ken has been a long-time supporter of Pain BC's work and his most recent contributions include being a Working Group member and s
pearheading a partnership between Pain BC and the University of British Columbia to create the
BC Pain Research Network
and partnering with Pain BC on Equip for Pain, a research initiative to enhance the capacity of primary health care providers to provide equitable health services for people living in pain in marginalized conditions in BC. Here's an excerpt of what CAHS shared regarding his accomplishments:
"Dr. Kenneth Craig has made landmark contributions to the recognition, measurement and treatment of pain in infants, children, adults, and, specifically, populations with communication impairments, including people with brain impairments and older persons with dementia. His innovative nonverbal measurements have also had a widespread clinical impact and led to novel strategies for measuring pain in nonhuman animals. The work has led to re-conceptualization of the importance of social parameters in understanding and controlling pain. He has inspired and led a whole new field while training a new generation of pain researchers. His service to professional organizations has been exemplary."
Congratulations and thank you for your continued commitment to advancing pain research, Ken!
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Opportunity to participate: Reviewing ER information sheets in Prince George
October 29, 2019 from 9:00am-2:00pm in Prince George
The
BC Emergency Medicine Network
is looking for patient partners in or near Prince George who are interested in providing their input to modify information sheets given to people when discharged from the hospital emergency department. They are holding an in-person workshop on October 29 from 9:00am-2:00pm. Snacks and refreshments will be provided, and participants will be reimbursed for mileage and parking.
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Free tool for osteoarthritis: Talk to your doctor about joint pain
The
Arthritis Alliance of Canada
(AAC) has put together a free tool for people living with osteoarthritis. The tool provides information on osteoarthritis, a self-care checklist, questions to share with a doctor, and a list of resources that can help with understanding and managing the condition.
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13th Annual Pain Society of Alberta Conference
October 17-20, 2019 in Lake Louise, Alberta
The
Pain Society of Alberta
is holding their 13th annual conference on October 17-20, 2019 in Lake Louise, Alberta. This year's conference is a pan-provincial event that will include all of the western Canadian provinces who share a common goal and interest in advocating to improve the well-being of people living with persistent pain. Our Executive Director, Maria Hudspith, will be among the speakers.
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Feedback opportunity: PharmaCare coverage for migraine medication
Accepting feedback until October 16, 2019
The
Ministry of Health
is considering coverage of Aimovig (erenumab) for migraines
under PharmaCare
, and is seeking input from both patients and caregivers. Anyone interested in providing their feedback can do so online until October 16, 2019.
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Opportunity to participate:
Indigenous women's voices in health care planning and service delivery
Study available until October 31, 2019
Vancouver Coastal Health - Aboriginal Health
is conducting research to better understand Indigenous women's experiences with accessing health services and to identify their priorities in health care. The results of the study will bring the voices of indigenous women into VCH policy and program development.
More information about this study and how to apply can be found at the link below.
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Upcoming Pain BC and partner workshops, webinars and courses
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Pain BC workshop: Chronic Pain Management for Chiropractors
This workshop is for chiropractors or students of chiropractic interested in developing or enhancing their clinical skills in the assessment and treatment of people living with complex and chronic pain.
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Pain BC workshop: Chronic Pain Management for Occupational Therapists
This workshop is for occupational therapists interested in learning about the neurophysiology of pain and how it relates to OT intervention.
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Pain BC 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.
Sep 29, 2019 in Kelowna:
Sold out
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BC ECHO for Chronic Pain
This new and free virtual learning community brings together specialists and community health care providers from around the province to learn together from complex pain cases.
We encourage all health care professionals to apply to join Cycle 2, which began on September 17. Registration will remain open for the duration of the full cycle.
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Gentle Movement and Relaxation Course
This free and online course will equip physiotherapists and other therapeutic movement professionals with practical knowledge and teaching resources to lead their own movement and relaxation programs for people living with chronic pain.
The Gentle Movement and Relaxation Course is currently available to BC health care providers only.
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Pain Foundations
This online course is designed to address the challenges faced by health care providers of all disciplines when assessing and treating people living with chronic pain. The course is free for health care providers in BC; a pricing structure for other geographical locations is coming soon.
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First Nations medical centre to receive more than $2M in funding
The BC Ministry of Health and First Nations Health Authority recently announced $2 million in new funding for the Lu'uma Medical Centre, which will go towards expanding Indigenous primary-care services in Vancouver.
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BCPSQC resource: A guide to patient engagement
The BC Patient Safety & Quality Council has put together this helpful guide on what patient engagement is, how it benefits health care systems, where to find patient partners and best practices for engaging them.
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Sometimes, physical pain isn't the worst part about chronic illness
A person with lived experience shares how the mental impacts of living with pain can sometimes be more significant than the physical impacts.
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Can trauma cause chronic illness?
The author of this article explores some of the links between chronic illness and trauma.
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Redefining 'productivity' when you're chronically ill
The author of this article discusses how redefining what "productivity" means has helped with managing chronic illness and overall well-being.
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Do you feel like a failure?
The author of this article shares how celebrating accomplishments, rather than focusing on limitations due to chronic pain, have helped with managing pain and regaining a sense of self and purpose.
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Pain BC programs and initiatives are funded, in whole or in part, by the Government of British Columbia.
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© 2019 Pain BC Society. All Rights Reserved.
1508 West Broadway
Vancouver, BC V6J 1W8
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