Victorian Pain Standard – Your Pain Matters

The care every woman should expect

Victorian women, girls and gender diverse people should be able to access timely, respectful and evidence-based pain care.

This standard sets out what women should expect when seeking care for pain and the principles that should guide health professionals and services across Victoria.

Our principles

All women, girls and gender diverse people are:

• Taken seriously and believed while talking about pain
• Listened to and supported to ask questions
• Respected as partners in decisions about their body, treatment and care
• Given choices and practical support to manage their pain safely and effectively

Why this standard is needed

Historic systemic bias has caused many women, girls and gender diverse people to experience unnecessary and avoidable pain. It has also contributed to the loss of trust in the healthcare system.

The Inquiry into Women’s Pain heard from over 13,000 women and girls. They told us that pain can affect every part of a person’s life, including their health, work, study, relationships, family life and ability to take part in everyday activities.

Many women face an added burden of having their pain minimised, normalised or overlooked. When women’s pain is not taken seriously, diagnosis and treatment can be delayed, causing them to miss out on timely and appropriate care.

In addition, gynaecological examinations and procedures such as IUD insertions and biopsies can be painful, distressing or traumatic when people are not told what to expect or given the opportunity to discuss and access effective pain relief.

High-quality pain care is not one-size-fits-all, but what must remain consistent is the standard of care: every woman should be treated with dignity, respect and compassion.

Many Victorian health professionals already listen carefully, act early and work with patients to find the best possible care. This standard is about making that experience consistent, regardless of where or from whom women seek healthcare.

Pain should never be dismissed or treated as something women simply have to endure.

What you can expect

Pain care should consider the person’s physical, psychosocial and cultural needs, and where needed, it should bring different health professionals together. It should be guided by clinical assessment, evidence and what matters to the individual.

All women, girls and gender diverse people should expect:

• To be listened to, respected and taken seriously when talking about pain.
• Clear explanations about their condition and available treatment options.
• To be empowered to understand their condition and treatment options, and be partners in decision making.
• Pain relief options to be discussed before and during gynaecological procedures, including IUD insertion.
• Care that responds to the physical, psychological, emotional, social and cultural impacts of pain.
• Timely diagnosis, early treatment and ongoing care of pain.
• Accessible, culturally safe and inclusive care that recognises past trauma.
• Pain to be recognised as real and deserving of care, even when its cause is unclear or tests do not provide an immediate answer.

Women’s pain is real. Women’s pain matters. Let’s get better – so women can too.

This standard is one part of the broader work to improve women’s health in Victoria. It recognises the expertise of health professionals and provides a basis for continued learning and improvement as evidence and practice evolve.