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National Pain Week: Patients urged to work with their GP to manage pain and avoid dependency

Royal Australian College of GPs

Australians living with persistent pain are being encouraged to work closely with their GP to find the right treatment plan, with the Royal Australian College of GPs (RACGP) highlighting the importance of holistic care and early support to prevent medicine-related harm.

Marking National Pain Week, 26–31 July 2026, RACGP President Dr Michael Wright said chronic pain affects millions of Australians and requires an individualised approach focused on improving quality of life.

“Living with ongoing pain can be incredibly challenging, affecting a person's physical health, mental wellbeing, relationships, work and daily activities,” he said.

“The good news is that your GP can support you to manage pain and develop a treatment plan tailored to your individual circumstances.

“Good holistic care means minimising pain and maximising quality of life. It can also mean supporting patients to reduce or stop pain medicines when they're no longer providing benefit, because dependence and addiction too often catch people by surprise.”

Dr Wright said one of the key messages of National Pain Week was the need to reduce stigma surrounding both chronic pain and medicine dependence.

“We need to recognise that pain is complex, and so is dependence on medicines that were often prescribed with the best intentions," he said.

“Nobody should feel any stigma about seeking help. Patients with pain deserve compassionate, evidence-based care and support, whether they're managing chronic pain, concerns about their medication use, or both.

“The most important thing is having an open conversation with your GP. Together, you can review your treatment, discuss what's working, what's not, and explore the full range of options available.”

Dr Wright said pain management often involves much more than medication alone.

“For many patients, the best outcomes come from a combination of approaches, including movement and exercise, psychological support, sleep management, lifestyle changes” and other therapies suited to their needs,” he said.

“GPs are uniquely placed to coordinate that care and support patients over the long term.”

The RACGP recently worked with Monash University researchers alongside pharmacists, nurses, and medical scientists to help develop Australia's first national deprescribing roadmap, SUPPORT-Meds, aimed at reducing harmful and unnecessary medicine use and supporting safer prescribing practices.

Dr Wright said the initiative reflects the growing recognition that reviewing and, where appropriate, reducing medicines can be an important part of high-quality patient care.

“Deprescribing is not about taking treatment away from patients,” he said.

“It's about ensuring every medicine remains safe, effective, and aligned with a patient's goals and circumstances.

“When medicines are no longer helping, or when the risks begin to outweigh the benefits, GPs can work with patients to make gradual, safe changes that improve their overall health and wellbeing.”

The RACGP is also calling on governments to strengthen access to evidence-based addiction treatment, including support for more GPs to provide Medication-Assisted Treatment for Opioid Dependence (MATOD) in their communities.

“General practice has a critical role to play in supporting people experiencing opioid dependence,” Dr Wright said.

“Expanding access to MATOD through general practice will help more patients receive timely care from a trusted GP close to home.”

~ENDS

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The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) is the voice of general practitioners (GPs) in our growing cities and throughout rural and remote Australia. For more than 60 years, we’ve supported the backbone of Australia’s health system by setting the standards for education and practice and advocating for better health and wellbeing for all Australians.

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