8 Mar 2019

Doctors call for action on chronic pain crisis

From Morning Report, 7:10 am on 8 March 2019
Male suffering from stomachache pain.

Photo: 123RF

Medical specialists are demanding government action over a crisis in services for those in chronic pain. One in five people suffer from complex, ongoing serious pain, which is estimated to cost the country more than diabetes or dementia. There's also a major shortage of pain specialists, and patients face long waits to be seen. Our Health Correspondent, Karen Brown, has more.