SIP Spain

On December 15th 2011 the second Conference Pain & Society “Pain in Galician Health System” was held in Santiago de Compostela. The meeting was organized by the Galician Health Service, SERGAS, in partnership with Plataforma SinDolor, combined initiative of Grünenthal Foundation y FUINSA.

Involving more than 160 health managers, professionals and representatives of patient associations, health authorities emphasized their commitment to achieve the goal that was set a year ago, when they promoted the “Galician strategy for improving care of pain”, in order to get all Galician citizens access to pain care as a fundamental human right.

Dr. Jose De Andrés, EFIC representative in Spain, explained the “Road map for action”, an initiative by the SIP, and presented the first recommendations that EFIC has just set out for health authorities. With these recommendations they want to provide guidance for the different European governments, national and regional, to prepare their plans of action against pain.

Dr. Jose Mª Muñoz shared his experiences as project leader within La Paz Madrid hospital “Pain free hospital” as a best-practice. For their part, several SERGAS professionals shared their experiences during this first year of work and the important results they are obtaining.

In the different contributions, the speakers showed their appreciation and recognition to the support and collaboration that Plataforma SinDolor, and Grünenthal Foundation, has provided for the development of the whole strategy in Galicia.

At the end of the meeting Dña. Mercedes Carrera, Director of Development and Security Care, reaffirmed the SERGAS commitment to follow the recommendations of SIP and EFIC and announced the forthcoming publication of the decree for the constitution of the “Galician Pain Commission”.