This appeared last week:
Crossing borders
There is a “pressing need” for real-time prescription monitoring in NSW, says coroner, following a man’s death after buying opioids in both ACT and NSW
NSW needs to urgently join Tasmania, Victoria and the ACT in implementing real-time prescription monitoring, the ACT Chief Coroner Lorraine Walker has said following another opioid-related death.
Jay Alan Paterson, 43, died in 4 September 2017 at Calvary Public Hospital in Canberra after experiencing a polypharmacy overdose related to opioid painkillers.
Mr Paterson had injured his knee and had extensive surgery in 2007 and 2008, for which he was prescribed Endone and OxyContin for the first time, as well as Quilonum and Stilnox to assist with sleep.
During this time he was working as an Australian Federal Police (AFP) agent.
He subsequently suffered a back injury in 2009 while undertaking a police training course, and resigned from the AFP in 2013.
Mr Paterson was formally diagnosed in January 2017 with PTSD as a result of incidents while in the AFP. He was prescribed propranolol for this condition.
The evidence showed he had also developed a physical dependence on, and a tolerance to, prescription opioid pain-killing medication due to taking medications on and off from 2007 until his death, the inquest found.
This was due to physical conditions that were causing him pain, for which he had not been able to find alternate ways to manage in the long term.
……
I share the view of NSW Deputy State Coroner Grahame, and other Australian coroners, that there is a pressing need for a real-time prescription monitoring system in NSW, ideally as part of a national system.—ACT Chief Coroner Lorraine Walker
“A national real-time prescription monitoring system might have enabled Mr Paterson’s Queanbeyan doctors to have seen the amounts of medication prescribed to him in the ACT, and to ensure that Mr Paterson could not leverage off the differences in regulation to obtain opioid medication in NSW that he was, or would have been, denied in the ACT.”
She added that, given the geographical location of the ACT as an island within NSW, NSW Health and ACT Health should develop processes and procedures in relation to dealing with drug dependent persons who seek treatment across the two jurisdictions concurrently.
NSW Health told AJP it remains committed to a national approach to real-time prescription monitoring and recognises it has the potential to provide numerous benefits to healthcare providers and the general community.
“The Australian Digital Health Agency is undertaking an architectural review of the proposed national system,” said the organisation.
“NSW Health is awaiting the outcomes of this review, as it will inform future planning and provide greater clarity on the capabilities of a National Data Exchange platform being developed by the Commonwealth, as well as the roles and responsibilities of each participating jurisdiction in implementing the system.”
There is lots more of the article here:
In passing I note that South Australia are planning to move forward.
26 Jun 2019 9:49 AM
PSA calls for timely implementation of real-time prescription monitoring in SA
The recent South Australian Government Budget announcement to implement a real-time prescription monitoring system (RTPM) is a good step forward, but the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) calls on the government to ensure it is given high priority.
PSA SA/NT Branch President Robyn Johns urged the SA Government to follow through on this Budget commitment to help improve the health of South Australians.
"Real-time prescription monitoring was included in the state's 2018-19 Budget but as yet we haven't seen any progress,” she said.
"The 2019-20 Budget commitment of $4 million dollars to implement the system is very promising. However, timely implementation is crucial.”
PSA's Medicine Safety: Take Care report highlighted the severity and cost of medicine-related problems. They are responsible for 250,000 hospital admissions and 400,000 emergency department presentations in Australia each year, costing the healthcare system $1.4 billion annually. At least half of this harm is avoidable.
PSA SA/NT Branch President Robyn Johns urged the SA Government to follow through on this Budget commitment to help improve the health of South Australians.
"Real-time prescription monitoring was included in the state's 2018-19 Budget but as yet we haven't seen any progress,” she said.
"The 2019-20 Budget commitment of $4 million dollars to implement the system is very promising. However, timely implementation is crucial.”
PSA's Medicine Safety: Take Care report highlighted the severity and cost of medicine-related problems. They are responsible for 250,000 hospital admissions and 400,000 emergency department presentations in Australia each year, costing the healthcare system $1.4 billion annually. At least half of this harm is avoidable.
Lots more here:
This is typical – we already have working systems in Tas and Vic and now we have the ADHA conducting and ‘Architectural Review’ to bring a national system into place. Should not this have been done and dusted ages ago so everyone can move forward?
And what is SA going to do now – go ahead of put their efforts on hold until the ADHA gets its act together.
Does anyone know where this review is up to, when it will finish, what is its scope and is it funded?
I don’t have a good feeling about how fast this is happening – despite all the ADHA commentary about medication issues.
David.
2 comments:
“The Australian Digital Health Agency is undertaking an architectural review of the proposed national system,”
The ADHA is undertaking a what!!!!! OMG. RTPM Health systems architecture is absolutely something the ADHA knows nothing about. Manna from heaven for doctor shoppers. Here comes another monumental national f--kup.
I don't know what all the fuss is about, Greg Hunt told everyone two years ago that he would have it sorted by the end of the following year. The only trouble is it was the end of 2018 he was talking about.
National real-time monitoring system announced
https://ajp.com.au/news/national-real-time-monitoring-system-announced/
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