Pain Management Research Institute - BMS Research Institutions

Pain Management and Research Centre
Introduction to the Department for Anaesthesia and Pain Manangement
The activities of the Department include:
the provision of routine anaesthetic services for the people of North Sydney.
an Acute Pain Management service for the inpatients of the Royal North Shore Hospital.
the investigation and treatment of patients suffering from chronic pain and cancer pain. This takes place in the multidisciplinary Pain Management and Research Centre on level 9.
the provision of a hands-on anaesthetic simulator for training clinicians in a realistic environment.
a wide-ranging programme in both basic and clinical research, aimed at improving understanding of pain mechanisms and patient outcomes.
a recognised training programme for specialists who wish to become Fellows of the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (ANZCA), or Fellows of the Australian and New Zealand Faculty of Pain Management. Training is also given to physiotherapists, nurses and clinical psychologists.
provision of a Graduate Diploma in pain management, to educate clinicians about the multidisciplinary approach fostered by the Centre.
Background to the Pain Management and Research Centre
Planning for the Pain Management and Research Centre was commenced early in 1991 when Professor Cousins took up the Foundation Chair of Anaesthesia and Pain Management of the University of Sydney at Royal North Shore Hospital. This was the first Chair in Australia bearing the title " Pain Management". Since 1991 was a time of financial depression, an "Appeal Board" of prominent members of the business and general community was formed, under the leadership of Mr Rick Turner, to raise the necessary funds to construct a purpose designed pain management and research centre, as well as associated basic and clinical research laboratories in a separate location.
The first phase of the Pain Management and Research Centre was opened in May, 1994 and the enormous financial and other assistance given to the Centre by a wide range of the general and business community is acknowledged on the donor board at the entrance to the Centre. At this stage there was a modest level of financial support available from the Northern Sydney Area and Community Health Service as well as some direct support from New South Wales Health. However, the majority of the cost was borne by over $1.3 million raised by the Appeal Board, particularly the contribution of the principal sponsor of phase one, MBF.
The enormous unmet demand for pain management services, the rapidly expanding research programme of the Centre and some unique postgraduate educational activities, quickly raised the need for further space and has led to the phase 2 development. This has been made possible by the Principal Sponsorship of the ManufacturersÌ Mutual Insurance (MMI) of $1.5 million for 1997 - 2001, as well as the continued sponsorships of members of the business and general community, as acknowledged on the new donor board for the phase 2 development. At this stage of development, extreme pressure on health care funding in New South Wales has meant that all of the cost of phase 2 has been borne by the general and business community.
This new phase of the Pain Management and Research Centre - a joint initiative of the University of Sydney, Royal North Shore Hospital and Community Services, Northern Sydney Area Health Service and MMI - responds in a major way to help address these enormous costs in individual human suffering, family and community disruption and in financial terms.
Copyright © 1998 - 2005
Pain Management Research Institute
Royal North Shore Hospital
St Leonard's, Sydney,
NSW 2065
Australia

phone: +(61) 02 9926 7387
facsimile: +(61) 02 9926 6780