CANADIAN PAIN COALITION
INTRODUCTION
Canadian Pain Coalition (CPC) is a consensus group dedicated to
promoting awareness of pain, providing education about pain to professionals
and the public as well as lobbying the government for pain research
funds. Members include pain patients’ representatives from
Injured Workers, FMS, Arthritis, CRPS/RSD, CPAC, pain management
doctors, nurses and Canadian Pain Society members. The Charter of
Pain Patient’s Rights and Responsibilities was created and
refined by CPC members.
PARC is a member of the CPC. The CPC has requested that all members
whose organizations they represent, take it to their membership
for ratification. If you are Canadian and wish to support the Charter,
you are also welcome to do so.
We all can support the CPC in their efforts to raise the awareness
of pain as a disease, not a symptom. This is just the beginning.
CHARTER OF PAIN PATIENT’S RIGHTS
AND REPONSIBILITIES
The Charter emphasizes the following concerns about pain:
- pain is a disease, not a symptom
- consumers should advocate for a greater awareness of chronic
pain
patients would benefit from better professional guidance to help
them with information from various sources
family doctors and nurses could take on a more involved role in
treating the whole individual with pain
patients have rights and responsibilities and can work together
with healthcare professionals, taking active part in their own care
children and elderly or those who are cognitively impaired have
the right to have their caregivers involved in their care
RIGHTS
Pain patients are entitled to:
1. have their reports of pain taken seriously
2. receive compassionate and sympathetic care
3. have treatment/care, follow-up and periodic reassessment
4. actively participate, or have their parents or caregivers participate,
in their treatment plan development
5. timely access to best practice care
6. have adequate information in order to consent to their treatment
7. information and support, including access to health records
RESPONSIBILITIES
To the extent they are able, patients or their parents or caregivers
are responsible:
1. to be knowledgeable about pain
2. to engage in open communication with their healthcare providers
3. to actively participate in their own care and in decisions
about their care in partnership with healthcare
professionals
4. to do their best to comply with their treatment
5. to advocate for better pain management
PAIN: THE SILENT EPIDEMIC
Here are some facts from their press kit:
"Pain is a silent epidemic in Canada. Between 17-31% of people
report chronic pain. Fifty percent of hospitalized patients report
acute pain of moderate to severe intensity.
Pain costs Canadians hugely--both in terms of humans suffering
and in real dollars. It is estimated that annual direct medical
costs for chronic pain management to be between $10,000-14,000 per
patient.
Pain treatment is a right of patients and an obligation of healthcare
professionals. Yet, pain goes almost unmentioned in medical training,
There is scant training in pain specialists and a severe shortage
of acute pain services and pain clinics in hospital settings. In-hospital
patients with pain from non-surgical conditions are less likely
to have their pain taken seriously enough to be treated. Outpatients
who report pain of chronic duration are often dismissed or accused
of malingering."
NATIONAL PAIN AWARENESS WEEK (N.P.A.W.)
The government of Canada has proclaimed that this event will be
held the first week in November each year. Across Canada, special
events will be planned to promote better understanding of pain.
PARC participates in this event each year. (Please go to WHAT'S
NEW?)
Canadian Pain Coalition (CPC)Survey 2011
In order to fully understand the scope of pain in Canada, the CPC
has embarked upon a survey of patients with pain. Please go to Canadian
Pain Coalition to take the online survey.
Canadian Pain Summit 2012
The CPC and Canadian Pain Society are hosting a Pain Summit on
April 24 in Ottawa Ontario.for more information please go to www.canadianpaincoalition.ca
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