Dr Marilla Druitt, University Hospital Geelong obstetrician and gynaecologist
It is now recognised that some women face real and enduring challenges when seeking care and support to manage their pain. Chronic pain affects a higher proportion of girls and women, yet we know they are less likely to receive treatment.
In response to these issues the Victorian Government is holding and Inquiry into Women's Pain to better understand the experience of girls and women in the healthcare system.
The Inquiry’s approach is focused on funding solutions and will consider the lived experience of women, together with data and research that identifies better models of care and service delivery for pain management. Women and girls aged 12 and older are encouraged to share their stories through focus groups, a survey and written online submissions.
As an obstetrician and gynaecologist at University Hospital Geelong, president of Pelvic Pain Victoria and a councillor at the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG), I’m familiar with many stories about how long it can take to get good care for pain, how difficult it can be to coordinate this care as well as the financial impact. I know these issues affect many women and girls.
I am hopeful that the stories told through the Inquiry in the words of those who live through those experiences will be heard. It’s important to make the most of this opportunity for girls and women to be heard, as we acknowledge their distress and pain. The Inquiry is also an opportunity to identify the barriers and enablers to accessing timely evidence-based treatment and care for pain conditions, to identify ways to improve care through new service models and to translate research into solutions.
I want to acknowledge the patient advocates, health advisors and political leaders who have been working hard to raise awareness of this issue that has led to the Inquiry. Their efforts have inspired optimism that the Inquiry will be a catalyst for change.
I encourage women and girls and their friends and family members from all around Victoria to participate and have their voices heard, whether their experience is with migraines, pelvic pain, fibromyalgia, or any other pain. A range of voices from across rural and regional Victoria need to be heard, including from First Nations communities, culturally and linguistically diverse communities, and people from the LGBTQA+ community.
Submissions to the Inquiry are open to patients, carers, healthcare providers, health services, researchers, and anyone with information or interest on the topic, so please get involved before the closing deadline, with more information available at www.health.vic.gov.au/inquiry-into-womens-pain.
