The Faculty of Pain Medicine (FPM) of the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (ANZCA) is the professional body for specialist pain medicine physicians (fellows) and trainees.
Established in 1998, FPM was the first multidisciplinary medical academy in the world dedicated to pain medicine education and training. The Faculty sets standards for training and clinical practice, and plays a leading role in advancing the discipline both nationally and internationally.
Through its internationally recognised curriculum and advocacy work, FPM supports a highly skilled workforce and promotes high-quality, evidence-based care for people living with pain.
FPM was founded as a joint initiative of ANZCA, the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, the Royal Australasian College of Physicians, and the Australasian Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine.
Pain management education
Pain is a major public health issue, affecting millions of Australians and contributing to significant social and economic burden. Despite this, many people continue to receive suboptimal care, in part due to gaps in pain management education across the health workforce.
To address this, Australia’s first national standards for pain management education have been developed.
Australian Standards for Health Practitioner Pain Management Education
Led by FPM and supported by the Australian Government, the Australian Standards for Health Practitioner Pain Management Education provide a nationally consistent framework to guide high-quality, contemporary pain education and training.
The standards are the first of their kind in Australia and internationally. They are designed for all health disciplines and levels of training, supporting a more consistent, evidence-based and person-centred approach to pain care.
They focus on six key areas including
- Person-centred care
- Best practice edcaution
- Evidence-based practice
- Reflective practice
- Communication
- Collaborative approach to care
The standards recognise the complexity of pain and the importance of social, cultural and demographic factors in how pain is experienced and managed.
They were informed by extensive consultation with clinicians, educators, consumers and key stakeholder organisations across Australia.
Access the standards and supporting resources:
https://www.anzca.edu.au/pain-education-standards
