WESTERN Victoria will be a focal point in a statewide focus to curb prescription drug abuse.
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A real-time prescription monitoring system will roll out next year with Western Victoria Primary Health Network to take the lead role in developing and delivering education for doctors and pharmacists.
WVPHN chief executive officer Leanne Beagley made clear that taking up the lead role was because prescription drug abuse was a critical issue across the state, not because it was a problem specific to the region.
Victorian deaths from prescription drugs (372 deaths) was higher than the number of overdose deaths from illicit drugs (257) and the road toll (291) last year.
Real time prescription monitoring allows doctors and pharmacists an immediate supply history of certain high-risk medicines for their patient in consultation.
“This is not about taking medications away from people who need them,” Ms Beagley said.
“This is a decision support system for doctors and pharmacists to access to help them make decisions and to have conversations with people if needed.”
Training will provide doctors and pharmacists with the skills to safely manage patients who may be misusing prescription medicines or receiving supplies of high-risk medicines beyond therapeutic need.
Monitoring will be on all controlled drugs — including oxycodone, morphine and Ritalin — and some high-risk prescription medications such a Stillnox, Valium and Seroquel.
The training system is being developed under a consortium, led by WVPHN, and including all six Victorian primary health networks and independent health information service NPS MedicineWise. They will work with specialist pharmaceutical bodies and expert clinicians.
Real-time prescription monitoring will be mandatory in more than 1,900 medical clinics, 1,300 pharmacies and 200 hospitals across the state.
“This is one program Western Victoria really wanted to take leadership in because it is so important and critical,” Ms Beagley said. “We’re really interested in getting on the ground in teaching and education.”
Recommendations for the system were based on a study by Austin Health and Melbourne University on which prescription medicines cause greatest harm to communities.
