Real Time Prescription Monitoring – SafeScript
A Victorian Department of Health and Human Services partnership.
The Victorian Government is taking action to reduce the number of Victorians dying from prescription medicine overdose.
In the 2016-17 State Budget, the Government announced a commitment to implement SafeScript in Victoria. This initiative will involve the rollout of a software system to over 1,900 medical clinics, 1,300 pharmacies and 200 hospitals throughout Victoria.
Real-time prescription monitoring is a clinical decision support system that will allow doctors and pharmacists to access an up-to-the-minute medication supply history of certain high risk medicines for their patient at the point of consultation. This information will enable doctors and pharmacists to make more informed decisions about the safety of supply of medication.
A consortium comprised of the VTPHNA with Western Victoria PHN as lead agency and NPS Medicine Wise; in partnership with:
- the Victorian Pharmacotherapy Area Based Networks,
- Odyssey House,
- the Association of Participating Service Users and Scriptwise,
are working together to design, develop and deliver training to prescribers and pharmacists on how to use the system. SafeScript will help prescribers and pharmacists to safely manage patients who may be misusing prescription medicines, or those who may be receiving supplies of high-risk medicines beyond therapeutic need.
The training will also assist with the change management in clinical practice required to implement the system. It will also inform prescribers and pharmacists of the appropriate referral pathways to alcohol and other drug treatment services, and specialist services such as pain management clinics.
Access the SafeScript Training Hub
HealthPathways
To complement SafeScript training, PHNs are developing localised HealthPathways for
- chronic pain
- medications in chronic pain
- opioid dependence
- opioid replacement therapy
These are currently in development across the PHNs. These pathways will inform prescribers and pharmacists of the appropriate referral pathways to alcohol and other drug treatment services, and specialist services such as pain management clinics.
More information
For more information about the program or upcoming training activities, visit the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services website or contact Western Victoria PHN on 03 5222 0800 or email to SafeScriptTraining@westvicphn.com.au.
