With National Pain Week currently underway, and set to continue until Sunday, July 27, Hunter New England Health (HNEH) has partnered with the Glen Innes Public and TAFE Library, along with a host of surrounding regional libraries, to raise awareness for chronic pain sufferers and to provide evidence-based support and information for pain management.
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As HNEH joins the cohort of health and legal information and management programs partnering with public libraries across the state, local library manager Kerry Byrne said the pain management and awareness campaign is further evidence that public libraries are undergoing significant structure and management changes.
As regional libraries expand their resources and continue to establish more social spaces, Ms Byrne said the days of libraries being solely sources of reading material are gone, with many regional libraries now sporting multiple partnerships with health, legal and employment organisations.
“There is a perception among the community that the library is just for reading resources,” Ms Byrne said.
“But public libraries are morphing into social and community hubs.”
Encouraging more organisations to embrace these changes, Ms Byrne said all organisations should consider teaming up with their local library.
“These organisations have found that for every dollar they put in, they are getting $5 in value,” she said.
As part of the HNEH campaign to address chronic pain affecting approximately one in five Australians, the Glen Innes Library has received a number of new resources to add to its considerable health catalogue which deals predominantly with helping people understand and manage their ailments.
The resources follow a significant campaign by government organisations to address pain management, with minister for health Jillian Skinner launching the Agency for Clinical Innovation’s Pain Management Network website earlier in the year, already topping 80,000 online visitors.
The collection of resources now available at the local library complements the online network, providing evidence-based guides on managing pain.
The resources and online material contributes to a pervasive state network of interactive resources and practical tips and tools to help people with chronic pain find relief and an improved lifestyle.
The comprehensive program is one of numerous partnered undertakings at the Glen Innes Library, including access to legal information and a grant-supported online kiosk run by BEST Employment targeted at providing residents with tips on how to save energy in their homes.