Queensland Interdisciplinary Paediatric Persistent Pain Service

The Queensland Interdisciplinary Paediatric Persistent Pain Service (QIPPPS) provides assessment and management services for young people experiencing persistent pain with a sociopsychobiomedical interdisciplinary approach, with presentations including:

• widespread musculoskeletal pain (including joint pain)
• back pain
• upper or lower limb pain
• Complex Regional Pain Syndrome
• pain at multiple locations
• headaches
• abdominal pain
• neuropathic pain
• nociplastic pain.

Our interdisciplinary team consists of medical staff, including a Pain Specialist, Senior Medical Officers, Psychiatry and a Nurse Practitioner, Psychology, Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy and Music Therapy.

Our vision is to support children and young people experiencing persistent pain and their families sustainably reconnect with life, one step at a time. QIPPPS lead in delivering, and advocating for, evidence based persistent pain services for children and young people, and their families throughout Queensland. As an interdisciplinary team, we achieve this through four strategies: People and Teamwork, Innovation, Partnerships and Quality.

Pain is the body’s alarm system, it is designed to alert us to when our body is in danger. In persistent pain however, the alarm system has become faulty. It can amplify danger signals, or it can send alarm signals when no danger is present. Persistent pain usually does not have one single cause. Multiple factors can contribute. The Queensland Interdisciplinary Paediatric Persistent Pain Service assesses not only the nature of the pain, but other factors in an individual’s life including their functional ability to participate in school and physical activity, their sleeping patterns, relationships with family and other people, and mental health history, all of which can contribute to and be affected by persistent pain. Intervention entails addressing the psychological, social, occupational and biomedical factors related to an individual’s persistent pain.

Who can access this service?

New patients

Referrals are accepted up to a child’s 16th birthday.

Existing CHQ patients with complex care needs

Referrals are accepted up to a child’s 18th birthday (patients are usually transitioned to adult services by this time).

Catchment area

This service is available to children living in Queensland and northern New South Wales.

For patients living remote to the Queensland Children’s Hospital, linked collaboration with local services is often integral to their pain management. Telehealth can be used to liaise with patients, families and local services.

Do I need a referral?

You will need a formal referral to access this service.

How do I get a referral?

Referral to the Queensland Interdisciplinary Paediatric Persistent Pain Service must be made by a medical officer, and completion of the investigative process to rule out or establish the biomedical drivers of a patient’s persistent pain is preferred.

Other referral information

Patients will be informed 4-6 weeks in advance of their appointment.

We encourage parents/carers to attend the initial appointment and bring copies of all previous investigations and reports relating to their child’s condition.

Information for health professionals

From 1 May 2019 referral criteria will apply at CHQ. This condition has minimum demographic and essential clinical referral information that is required to be included prior to submission of the referral. Visit the CPC website for the required condition. If you are unable to provide the required “essential information” please state the reason when you submit the referral.

Referral instructions

A specialist or GP referral is required to access this service. All referrals should be completed on the Queensland Interdisciplinary Paediatric Persistent Pain Service referral template.

Referring doctors should ask parents/carers to attend the initial appointment and bring copies of all previous investigations and reports. Patients will be informed 4-6 weeks in advance of their appointment. Further details regarding the referral process can be obtained by contacting us.
t: 07 3068 4499
e: QCH-persistentpain@health.qld.gov.au

Supporting information

Boston Children’s Hospital. Pediatric Pain and Opioid Education
Faculty of Pain Medicine. Better Pain Management Program
The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto. Online Paediatric Pain Curriculum
University of Sydney and Pain Management Research Institute: Pain Management Multidisciplinary Workshop
University of Sydney and Pain Management Research Institute. Postgraduate degree program in pain management
University of Sydney and Pain Management Research Institute. Putting Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Skills into Practice

Our team

Clinical Lead

Dr Mark Alcock MBBS, FANZCA, FFPMANZCA

Senior Medical Officers

Dr Anthony Herbert MBBS FRACP FAChPM
Dr Owen Gilles MBBS, FRACP, FAFRM
Dr Christine Mott MBBS FRACP FAChPM
Dr Jacqueline Duc MBBS FRACP