QUEENSLAND has become the latest state to commit to implementing a real-time prescription monitoring system.
Legislation introduced to State Parliament last week aims to aid clinical decision-making for doctors and pharmacists who are prescribing or dispensing "dependence-forming medicines".
Qld Health Minister Dr Steven Miles said the Medicines and Poisons Bill would extend to "controlled drugs such as pharmaceutical opioids and other prescription-only medicines associated with abuse and drug-seeking such as sedatives, sleeping tablets and products that combine codeine with other medicines".
Pharmacists and doctors will be required to check a database prior to prescribing or dispensing.
The database will integrate with the Fred IT-built National Data Exchange (PD 24 Oct 2018), which is being developed as the first stage of a national prescription monitoring system.
The Bill notes that the NDE will capture prescription dispensing event data from all states and territories.
"Under this arrangement, Queensland will have access to its own data, and the data of other States only upon agreement with the respective jurisdiction."
Welcoming the announcement, Pharmacy Guild Qld Branch President, Trent Twomey, said the system would combat the abuse of medicines and doctor shopping.
"Providing immediate access to real-time information about patients' prescription history of monitored medicines, will help health professionals make the best and safest decisions," he said.
"Pharmacists are well placed to provide referral or appropriate treatment and support for patients with drug dependency concerns. However, a real time monitoring system is required in order to identify and protect these patients.
"We have seen the success of real time monitoring systems in Victoria, and know it has a positive impact on the community and helps to save lives.
"The Guild strongly supports and welcomes the inclusion of a real time monitoring system in Queensland to help prevent avoidable deaths."
The Queensland bill can be viewed at legislation.qld.gov.au.
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