THE WA health department has denied the pain medicine unit will be under-resourced when it re-opens at Fiona Stanley Hospital in February.

SMHS chief executive Frank Daly told the Herald staff numbers will stay much the same and doctor hours will increase from 1.5 to 1.8 full-time equivalent.

Allied health numbers are almost exactly the same in a graphic provided to the Herald, although administrative hours drop significantly, from 91.6 to 76.

Prof Daly says pain management services at FSH will be staffed by an integrated team including;

• multidisciplinary pain clinic;

• medical pain clinic;

• STEPS (self training educative pain program);

• PUMP (pain understanding and management program);

• clinical psychology clinic; and,

• occupational therapy clinic.

“Fiona Stanley Hospital has assessed the clinical needs and determined the best model of care and staffing profile to deliver the services the south metropolitan community requires,” Prof Daly says.

He also scotches concerns admin staff will be employed by Serco. “All positions with the FSH pain management unit, including administrative positions, will be WA Health positions. Administrative positions within the FSH pain management unit are classified at level 2.”

by STEVE GRANT