The Australian Pain Society

2016Distinguished

MemberAward

Awarded for services to the promotion,

treatment and science of pain management

and lifelong contribution to the

Australian Pain Society.

Phil Siddall casts a long shadow over the world of pain management. He has made enormous contributions in the areas of basic science, clinical science, clinical care, research,education and mentoring.

Commencing Medicine at the University of Sydney in 1975, Phil began a relationship with the institution that prevails today. Having graduated at the end of 1979, he began work as an intern and then resident medical officer (RMO) at nearbyRoyal Prince Alfred Hospital (RPAH).

Phil’s move into pain management followed anunusual path. He had a desire to go to China and completing a course in acupuncture and traditionalChinese medicine enabled this to happen. From 1981to 1984, he studied in Beijing gaining a GraduateDiploma in Acupuncture. In preparation for thissojourn, Phil began to learn Mandarin and returnedto Australia more than proficient in the language -his treatise titled The Use of Acupuncture for theManagement of Headache was completed in Chinese!

Phil returned to RPAH to an RMO role before beingencouraged by APS Past President Amal Helou toapply for a part-time visiting medical officer (VMO)position as an acupuncturist in the RPAH Pain Clinic.Amal recalls some of Phil’s learned Chinese mannerisms and his delight at finally having a lambroast again! Phil also remembers making a very‘herbaceous’ moxa, the smell of which was notenjoyed by the rest of the Pain Clinic. Phil’s pain

VMO role grew, and he cultivated his clinical skillsworking under a very patientDr John Ditton (APS president1991-1993). Early in his specialty and encouraged byJohn Ditton, Phil joined theAustralian Pain Society in 1985.He remembers well his firstAnnual Scientific Meeting that same year. Held in theAcademy of Science buildingin Canberra (easily accommodating the 100 or soattendees), Phil recollects a

“very precise, dapper, bow-tied,and scarily smart Professor of Neurophysiology fromGermany” - plenary lecturer, Manfred Zimmerman.Phil was somewhat overawed by the content, butsuggests this was when he became hooked on neuroscience. A few years later, he was stimulatedto commence a PhD in neurobiology with RogerDampney from Sydney University.

In 1993 Phil was recruited by Professor MichaelCousins to work in the newly established PainManagement Research Institute (PMRI) at RoyalNorth Shore Hospital (RNSH), with emphases in both the basic and clinical sciences. As if this wasnot enough, Phil was still finishing off his PhD! The move began key relationships with several pre-eminent clinicians and researchers. Apart fromMichael Cousins, Phil worked closely with clinicalluminaries such as Laurie Mather, Suellen Walker,Paul Wrigley, and basic researchers Kevin Keay andArthur Duggan. Phil and Michael Cousins continueto have a strong working relationship, not only sharing multi-disciplinary team meetings, but also

Philip SiddallMBBS, Grad Dip Acupuncture,

MMed (Pain Management), PhD, FFPMANZCA

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collaborating on research and co-authoring manyacademic papers. Professor Cousins reflected onPhil’s early time at RNSH as exceeding his ownhigh expectations. Whilst at the PMRI, Phil contributed heavily in the areas of research,education and managing a clinical load.

In keeping with a penchant for leaving his comfortzone, Phil headed to Greenwich Hospital in 2012where he set up a full pain service which he continues to direct.

He has been prolific in the field of pain research,always demonstrating a methodical approach.Completed in 1993, his PhD was titled The FunctionalOrganisation of Descending Pathways in the BrainStem Controlling the Spinal Transmission of Nociceptive Information. This stimulated his interest in, and research of neuropathic pain andspinal cord injury (SCI) in particular, much of whichhas influenced the understanding and managementof SCI pain. Phil has always had passion for translational research models and his guidance ofother researchers and clinicians at the PMRI andGreenwich Hospital Pain Clinics is enormouslyappreciated. 2007 APS/APRA scholar, KathrynNicholson Perry credits Phil with improving herunderstanding of neuropathic pain conditions,allowing her to develop clinically relevant treatment approaches.

Phil is a gifted educator, driven by the desire to seeothers learn. Whilst working at PMRI, he wasamong the first cohort of students to complete theMasters of Pain Management programme fromSydney University (delivered by the PMRI). Fellowstudents in that first year remember Phil sittingwith them in the lecture theatre, then moving tothe lectern to deliver one of the key neurobiologylectures, before returning to his seat as one of the

students! In 2003, Phil became Director ofEducation at PMRI in addition to his clinical andresearch roles. He oversaw a re-structure of thenow Online Masters Programme. Under his carethe programme more than doubled its studentintake from 2003 until 2012, when he steppeddown from the role. Also under Phil’s leadership,the Masters programme forged an academic collaboration with the Universities of Edinburgh,California and Santo Tomas, in the Philippines,enabling a truly International teaching programmeto be offered. Phil continues to teach in the Mastersprogramme and the associated short course in PainManagement, unsurprisingly in topics such as neuropathic pain and neurobiology.

Phil is a regular speaker at conferences both localand international. His list of invited lectures andworkshops covers all six continents, and typical ofhis approach to inter-disciplinary pain management,Phil has spoken at conferences and symposia acrossthe areas of nursing, allied health and psychology,as well as medicine. He has a particular ability toexplain difficult concepts in simple ways. This wasno more evident than when Phil delivered theBonica lecture at the 33rd APS ASM in Canberra in2013. Many APS members will remember that lecture entitled Losing Your Inhibitions: Pain is AllAbout the Gain. Phil has also contributed to ASMsthrough topical workshops and concurrent sessions, and has attended almost every APS ASMsince 1985. He identifies the diversity of both theprofessions and opinions, and the passion of thedebates as reasons for continuing to attend.

Phil has been a true leader and mentor in the fieldof pain. He has been an active member of manycommittees, both in Australia and internationally.For the International Association for the Study ofPain (IASP) he has chaired or been committee !

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member of the Neuropathic Pain Special InterestGroup, the Education Committee, the NominationsCommittee and the delightfully named Committeeon Committees! From an APS perspective, he wasIASP Council member and APS liaison member from2005-2011, providing regular communicationbetween the organisations. He was also on theSydney organising committees for the 2002 APSASM and the most successful 11th World Congresson Pain in 2005. Phil is currently Conjoint Professorof Pain Medicine at the University of Sydney, andco-chair of the Pain Management Network of theAgency for Clinical Innovation (ACI). On the microlevel, Phil has mentored numerous clinicians andresearchers, his work ethic no more evident thanwhen he told a post-doc before employment “If youwant to come and work with me, you have to bethinking of ideas in the shower!” At the macrolevel, Phil acts as a referee or reviewer for over 20journals. He has been author or co-author of morethan 70 articles, and an astonishing 28 book chapters. As if Phil has not been busy enough, hehas contributed to the range of books on self-helpin pain management. The Pain Book and The SpinalCord Injury Pain Book are sensitively written andeasy to follow, demonstrating most appositely hisgentle approach to the clinical encounter.All his achievements in research and education areless important to Phil than actually treating patients- as demonstrated by the heavy clinical workloadhe maintains. Past and present clinical colleaguesnote him to be very calm, always keento hear the patient’s perspective andpassionately desiring an outcome inkeeping with their concerns.

Philip John Siddall was born and raised in Sydney,attending Scots College, including 5 years as aboarder. It was during this time at school that Phildeveloped a passion for the bagpipes, including atrip to play at the Edinburgh Tattoo. He continuesto “kilt-up” and blow with the Scots Old Boys on aregular basis (including playing in the annualANZAC day march in Sydney).

Phil met his wife Rhonda at a young age as herbrother was at school with Phil, however they bothacknowledge that the spark of romance did notoccur until some years later. They were married in1987, and have 2 daughters and a son. Phil is adevoted family man, and Rhonda notes that whilsthe works very hard, he is no workaholic, enjoyingtime in the garden, reading widely, and getting insome lap swimming, albeit slowly. Phil is keenlyinvolved in St Barnabas’ Anglican Church, Broadway,attending since his undergraduate days, and hecontinues to practice his Mandarin with Chinesespeakers at his church. He holds a strong Christianfaith, which perhaps links to a recent researchinterest - spirituality and pain. Phil has quite asense of humour, much happier to make a joke athis own expense rather than others.

Finally, the words that colleagues and friends mostoften use to describe Phil are - generous and humble.Phil sees everybody - multi-disciplinary team members, fellow researchers and patients as hisequal and is therefore appropriately generous with

his many gifts. It is for these manygifts as well as his achievementsthat the Australian Pain Society welcomes Phil Siddall as aDistinguished Member. "