❓ The Minister for Health outlines the rollout of ScriptCheckWA, a real-time prescription monitoring program for controlled drugs, aimed at reducing harm from doctor shopping and prescription overdose by supporting clinicians and pharmacists.
AnsweredQoN 112Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
REAL-TIME PRESCRIPTION MONITORING PROGRAM
112. Ms E.L. HAMILTON to the Minister for Health:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's commitment to invest in modern health technologies to keep
the community safe. Can the minister advise the house how the launch of the
real-time prescription monitoring in WA will reduce harm caused by controlled
prescription medication?
112. Ms E.L. HAMILTON to the Minister for Health:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's commitment to invest in modern health technologies to keep
the community safe. Can the minister advise the house how the launch of the
real-time prescription monitoring in WA will reduce harm caused by controlled
prescription medication?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Joondalup
for her question.
I was very pleased to announce
that, from the end of this month, 28 March, WA Health will roll out our
real-time prescription monitoring program for controlled drugs, with an early
focus on opioids and stimulants. We all know that doctor shopping is not a new
phenomenon and is also incredibly dangerous. People who are suffering from
addiction to certain prescription medications are going from doctor to doctor
to seek support. It also takes up an enormous amount of time for health
services, particularly out-of-hours health services, that have to support
people who present with obvious addiction issues and are seeking prescriptions.
This is a first for WA. It will
support our clinicians, pharmacies and those who are seeking support or are
struggling with addiction. ScriptCheckWA will
be trialled for the use of controlled drugs, and a select number of doctors and pharmacists are now ready for the state rollout. It will allow 20 000 medical
practitioners, pharmacists, nurse practitioners and dentists to monitor, in
real time, the prescribing and dispensing of those schedule 8 drugs. The kinds
of drugs that will be flagged are opioids, cannabis-based products and other
controlled drugs that treat pain and anxiety conditions. The system will give
practitioners seamless communication and will allow for pharmacists and doctors to offer support to those who are
engaging in the practice of doctor shopping when seeking medications . We
know that prescription overdose is real. We know that mixing prescription
medications is dangerous. We are seeing an increase in doctor shopping across
Australia, and over the years we are seeing an increase in prescription overdose
not only in Australia, but also around the world. ScriptCheckWA will be one of
the ways that we will support clinicians, pharmacists and our community when
managing addictions.
for her question.
I was very pleased to announce
that, from the end of this month, 28 March, WA Health will roll out our
real-time prescription monitoring program for controlled drugs, with an early
focus on opioids and stimulants. We all know that doctor shopping is not a new
phenomenon and is also incredibly dangerous. People who are suffering from
addiction to certain prescription medications are going from doctor to doctor
to seek support. It also takes up an enormous amount of time for health
services, particularly out-of-hours health services, that have to support
people who present with obvious addiction issues and are seeking prescriptions.
This is a first for WA. It will
support our clinicians, pharmacies and those who are seeking support or are
struggling with addiction. ScriptCheckWA will
be trialled for the use of controlled drugs, and a select number of doctors and pharmacists are now ready for the state rollout. It will allow 20 000 medical
practitioners, pharmacists, nurse practitioners and dentists to monitor, in
real time, the prescribing and dispensing of those schedule 8 drugs. The kinds
of drugs that will be flagged are opioids, cannabis-based products and other
controlled drugs that treat pain and anxiety conditions. The system will give
practitioners seamless communication and will allow for pharmacists and doctors to offer support to those who are
engaging in the practice of doctor shopping when seeking medications . We
know that prescription overdose is real. We know that mixing prescription
medications is dangerous. We are seeing an increase in doctor shopping across
Australia, and over the years we are seeing an increase in prescription overdose
not only in Australia, but also around the world. ScriptCheckWA will be one of
the ways that we will support clinicians, pharmacists and our community when
managing addictions.
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