Paediatric Pain Service

Acute Pain Service

The Acute Pain Service (APS) consists of consultant anaesthetists, anaesthetic registrars and pain nurse specialists. The service provides pain management with the use of pain modalities such as patient controlled analgesia or epidurals for post-operative patients and those whose pain is not well managed on basic analgesics.

The service provides specialist information, education and training to children, families and members of the multi-disciplinary team with regard to all aspects of pain management, with the pain nurse specialists being responsible for nursing practice/development and education.

The team also works in close collaboration with the complex and palliative care team for both in and out patients.

Our Team

Pain Service Cover: Pain Nurse Specialist: 0800 - 1630 Monday to Friday. Acute Pain Registrar: 24 hours 7 days a week

Complex Pain Service

The Complex Pain Service consists of a paediatric pain medicine & palliative care specialist, paediatrician, child psychologist, child psychiatrist, occupational therapist, physiotherapy services, pain nurse specialists and support for administration. The service provides outpatient care to children and teenagers with complex pain.

Clinics are run on a consistent basis and involve all members of the complex pain team. Initial appointments are held for 1.5hrs with follow up appointments of 30 minutes as needed.

Phone contact is maintained to all the complex pain patients and their families as well as to supporting community services. The consult liaison team and physiotherapy services within Starship see patients on a regular basis as outpatients.

There is a liaising role between the Acute Pain Service and Complex Pain Service to provide cover, support and advice for inpatient complex pain patients and their families.

Our Team

Resources

The Complex Pain Service has developed the following resource - The Pain Kete - covering different aspects of managing chronic pain in children and adolescents.

Clinical Guidelines

Are available on the Starship Guidelines.

Referral Process

Acute Pain Service Referral Process - Access the referral process here

Complex/Chronic Pain Service Referral Process - Access the referral process here