Dr Simon Holliday is a rural general practitioner and an Addiction Medicine Specialist in private practice. He previously worked for 22 years part-time in Drugs and Alcohol with Hunter New England Local Health District, mostly as Staff Specialist. He has chaired the RACGP Specific Interests network of pain management and is a Conjoint Lecturer in the School of Medicine and Public Health at the University of Newcastle.
His research and advocacy interests focus on iatrogenic harms, the intersection of public and private health care, and between primary and tertiary levels. They include the management of pain, addiction and psychoactive pharmaceuticals in general practice as well as the development and evaluation of pain management training for GPs.
Holliday S, Magin P, Morgan S, Tapley A, Henderson K, Dunlop A, et al. The pattern of opioid analgesic management by Australian General Practice trainees. Pain Med. 2015 Sep;16(9):1720–31.
This study examined the prescribing behaviour of Australian General Practice (GP) trainees (registrars) regarding opioid analgesics. The findings demonstrated that GP trainees prescribed opioids at similar rates to their more experienced colleagues, with a notable tendency to prescribe to high-risk patient groups. The research also highlighted a limited incorporation of holistic or multimodal approaches to chronic pain management during consultations.
Holliday S, Hayes C, Dunlop A, et al. Protecting pain patients: The evaluation of a chronic pain educational intervention. Pain Med. 2017 Mar 13. PMID: 28340143.
This initial investigation evaluated a 90-minute interactive educational session delivered within a broader programme for GP trainees. The intervention focused on chronic pain management, and pre- and post-intervention assessments indicated positive shifts in knowledge and attitudes toward evidence-based prescribing. The programme emphasised non-pharmacological and comprehensive care strategies for managing chronic pain in general practice.
Holliday SM, Hayes C, Dunlop AJ, Morgan S, Tapley A, Henderson KM, et al. Does brief chronic pain management education change opioid prescribing rates? A pragmatic trial in Australian early-career general practitioners. Pain. 2017 Feb;158(2):278–88.
This same educational was then evaluated objectively using registrar-patient encounter records loggings of clinical consultations. Despite the reported changes in knowledge and attitudes, there was no statistically significant reduction in overall opioid prescribing. However, there was a non-significant trend towards reduced initiation of opioids. The findings underscored a critical need for clearer guidance on appropriate non-opioid interventions and alternative clinical pathways.
Holliday S, Hayes C, Jones L, Gordon J, Harris N, Nicholas M. Prescribing wellness: comprehensive pain management outside specialist services. Aust Prescr. 2018 Jun;41(3):86–91.
This article outlined the curriculum of the “Time-Efficient Management of Pain in the Office” (TEMPO) educational initiative. This brief training aimed to shift chronic pain management away from pharmacological interventions and towards comprehensive care strategies. The model outlined how to integrate holistic and multidisciplinary elements into routine primary care, thereby promoting safer and more effective pain care, particularly in relation to opioid prescribing.
Holliday SM, Hayes C, Jones LE, Gordon J, Fraser C, Harris N, et al. Prescribers or Multidisciplinarians? An evaluation of brief education for general practitioners on chronic pain management. Health Educ Pract. 2020 Aug 13;3(1).
This evaluation focused on the TEMPO educational programme delivered to GPs between 2015 and 2019. Designed by a multidisciplinary team, TEMPO aimed to equip time-constrained practitioners with practical alternatives to opioid prescribing. Educational content emphasised holistic care approaches and opioid harm minimisation strategies drawn from dependency medicine. Delivered via 1-hour sessions, webinars, and extended Active Learning Modules, the programme sought to embed chronic pain care within a broader chronic disease framework. The evaluation, supported by a Primary Health Network grant, suggested potential benefits in facilitating multi-modal care to provide accessibility to more effective and safe care. These insights aligned with and supported the broader objectives of the OPEN project.
