This evaluation report presents findings from a half-day workshop, “Bridging the Gender Pain Gap”, held on 6 August 2026 in Victoria’s Southern Metropolitan Region. The workshop brought together professionals from health services, community health, social services, family violence, mental health, disability, health promotion and regional partnerships to build shared understanding of women’s pain and explore opportunities for cross-sector action.
The workshop drew on WHISE’s consultations with women with lived experience of pain and healthcare, alongside contributions from practitioners working in the field. Through guided discussion, participants explored what drives inequities in pain care, who is most affected and why, where systems create unintended harm, and where collaboration across sectors could make the biggest difference.
The report presents findings from a post-workshop survey completed by attendees, capturing shifts in understanding, reflections on the consultation process, and priorities for future action. It also traces the broader context of this work, including WHISE’s role in amplifying community voices ahead of the Victorian Government’s Inquiry into Women’s Pain and the release of the landmark report Bridging the Gender Pain Gap, which drew on the experiences of more than 13,000 Victorian women and gender-diverse people and put forward 27 recommendations for reform.