West Vic Pain Collective

The West Vic Pain Collective exists to connect clinicians across Western Victoria who are passionate about improving the lives of people living with persistent pain. Through collaboration, education, and evidence-informed discussion, we aim to strengthen clinical practice, build meaningful professional relationships, and improve access to high-quality pain care throughout our region.

Up Coming Events

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What is the West Vic Pain Collective?

The West Vic Pain Collective is an interdisciplinary community of clinicians committed to improving the care of people living with persistent pain across Western Victoria.

Our aim is to bring together health professionals from a broad range of disciplines to learn from one another, discuss contemporary pain science, explore challenging clinical cases, and strengthen collaborative, person-centred care. Through regular meetings, guest speakers, panel discussions, case-based learning, and networking opportunities, we provide a welcoming environment where clinicians can share knowledge, respectfully challenge ideas, and translate the latest evidence into meaningful clinical practice.

The Collective welcomes all health professionals with an interest in persistent pain, whether you work in primary care, private practice, hospital services, rehabilitation, community health, education, or research.

We encourage participation from;

  • general practitioners

  • rehabilitation and pain physicians

  • exercise physiologists

  • occupational therapists

  • psychologists

  • nurses

  • pharmacists

  • myotherapists

  • remedial massage therapists

  • osteopaths

  • chiropractors

  • podiatrists

  • dentists

  • physiotherapists

  • shiatsu practitioners

  • acupuncturist

  • researchers

  • educators

  • students

Whether persistent pain is a major focus of your work or simply a condition you encounter regularly, the West Vic Pain Collective offers an opportunity to connect with colleagues, expand your knowledge, and contribute to improving pain care across our region.

By strengthening interdisciplinary relationships and promoting evidence-informed, person-centred practice, we aim to improve access to high-quality pain care for people throughout Western Victoria.

Better connected clinicians. Better pain care.

Inaugural Event

Challenges in Pain Today

Wed 16th September @ Grainery Lane,35 Armstrong St N, Ballarat

Join us for the inaugural meeting of the West Vic Pain Collective, bringing together clinicians from across Western Victoria to connect, share ideas and explore the realities of managing persistent pain in today’s healthcare environment.

Persistent pain remains one of the most complex and challenging areas of healthcare. Rapidly evolving evidence, increasing service demand, limited resources and the need for genuinely interdisciplinary care continue to shape how we support people living with pain.

This first gathering is about conversation, connection and collaboration, creating a local network where clinicians can learn from each other, build professional relationships and help shape what the West Vic Pain Collective becomes.

Meet Your Local Pain Educators

Come and meet some of the Local Pain Educators working across our region:

Ms Sarah Butt — Psychologist

Mr Simon Lewis — Physiotherapist

Mr Grant McKechnie — Exercise Physiologist

An informal opportunity to meet, chat and connect with local clinicians working in persistent pain care and education.

Dive into the “Essential Pain Facts”

Come and explore the Essential Pain Facts with our Local Pain Educators (LPEs). Discover how pain works, why it can persist, and how understanding pain can help you build confidence and move towards recovery.

Open Discussion: Challenges in Pain Today

A major part of the evening will be an open discussion about the challenges we face in delivering effective persistent pain care across Western Victoria.

  • The current landscape of persistent pain management.

  • Challenges faced by clinicians across public and private healthcare.

  • Building effective interdisciplinary care.

  • Improving access to evidence-informed pain management in regional Victoria.

  • Connecting clinicians and services across the region.

  • The future of the West Vic Pain Collective — where would you like to see it develop?

  • Ideas for future guests, topics, education and networking opportunities.

Most importantly, we want to hear from you about what would make the West Vic Pain Collective valuable to clinicians across our region.

Come and connect with clinicians from across Western Victoria. Meet local colleagues, share ideas, build stronger professional networks and help shape the future of persistent pain care in our region.

Connect • Collaborate • Learn • Improve Pain Care

Everyone with an interest in persistent pain is welcome.

Register for the event PainCo@adaptivhealth.com.au

Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS), Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy (CIDP) & Multifocal Motor Neuropathy (MMN)

Understanding the Conditions and Working with Confidence

Join the West Vic Pain Collective for an evening exploring three uncommon but life-changing neurological disorders that clinicians across many disciplines may encounter in practice.

While GBS, CIDP and MMN are distinct conditions, they share important clinical features and can significantly impact mobility, strength, function, fatigue, participation, and quality of life. Early recognition, appropriate referral, and evidence-informed rehabilitation can make a profound difference to long-term outcomes.

This session will provide an overview of each condition, discuss current management approaches, and explore practical strategies for supporting people living with these disorders across acute, rehabilitation, and community settings.

Special Guest

Kath Donaldson
Chief Executive Officer & Founding Director
GBS/CIDP Foundation Australia

Kath will share the consumer perspective, discuss the work of the Foundation, and highlight the challenges and opportunities faced by people living with GBS, CIDP and MMN, their families, and the clinicians who support them.

Topics will include

  • Understanding GBS, CIDP and MMN

  • Recognising the key clinical features

  • Current medical management and rehabilitation principles

  • Fatigue, function and long-term recovery

  • Working effectively within an interdisciplinary team

  • Supporting people beyond the acute phase

  • Consumer perspectives and available support services

  • Audience questions and discussion

Whether you work in neurology, rehabilitation, primary care, or allied health, this evening will provide practical insights to help you better understand these conditions and confidently support individuals throughout their recovery journey.

Better connected clinicians. Better patient outcomes.

Register for the event PainCo@adaptivhealth.com.au