PART TWO: THE FRAMEWORK Goals 1. To reduce the misuse of pharmaceutical drugs and associated harms in Australia. 2. To enhance the quality use of pharmaceutical drugs without stigmatisation or limiting their accessibility for therapeutic use. Focus The Framework is underpinned by a focus on the quality use of prescription and opioids and benzodiazepines. This includes the use of evidence-based pharmacological alternative therapies. The Framework seeks to minimise the intentional and unintentional misuse of these medicines and to develop approaches that could also be applied to other potentially problematic medicines. Priority The Framework adopts a holistic approach to addressing these problems which is in keeping with the complex range of factors that contribute to pharmaceutical drug misuse. The Framework is consistent with Australia’s National Strategy for the Quality Use of Medicines. Nine priority areas for action are identified. These were informed by an extensive consultation process involving written submissions, consultation workshops, a review of the literature, discussions with key experts and guidance from an Expert Reference Group and a Project Steering Committee. Priority Areas Actions Coordinated medication Progress implementation of the nationally-based and management system jurisdictionally consistent Electronic Recording and A coordinated medication Reporting of Controlled Drugs (ERRCD) system which management system is an on line, enables prescribers, dispensers and regulators to have real time tool that provides information real time online access to information concerning on patients’ relevant medication patients’ access to prescription opioids and other usage for prescribers, pharmacists Schedule 8 medicines. and regulators. It is important that Consider future enhancements to the ERRCD system to such a system be linked to the meet the characteristics of a comprehensive coordinated regulatory and monitoring approaches medication management system. outlined in Priority Area 4. Where necessary, enhance the required regulatory infrastructure to respond to ERRCD system-generated data. Coordinate national education about the ERRCD system for health and welfare professionals and the broader community. Supporting prescribers Develop and/or promote national guidelines for the (non-pharmacological and pharmacological) treatment This area focuses on a range of of conditions commonly implicated in the problematic strategies that enhance prescribing use of these pharmaceuticals including: practice to minimise intentional and Pain (acute, chronic non-malignant and unintentional misuse. This includes cancer);
PART TWO: THE FRAMEWORK Goals 1. To reduce the misuse of pharmaceutical drugs and associated harms in Australia. 2. To enhance the quality use of pharmaceutical drugs without stigmatisation or limiting their accessibility for therapeutic use. Focus The Framework is underpinned by a focus on the quality use of prescription and opioids and benzodiazepines. This includes the use of evidence-based alternative therapies. The Framework seeks to minimise the intentional and unintentional misuse of these medicines and to develop approaches that could also be applied to other potentially problematic medicines. Priority The Framework adopts a holistic approach to addressing these problems which is in keeping with the complex range of factors that contribute to pharmaceutical drug misuse. The Framework is consistent with Australia’s National Strategy for the Quality Use of Medicines. Nine priority areas for action are identified. These were informed by an extensive consultation process involving written submissions, consultation workshops, a review of the literature, discussions with key experts and guidance from an Expert Reference Group and a Project Steering Committee. Priority Areas Actions Coordinated medication management system A coordinated medication management system is an on line, real time tool that provides information on patients’ relevant medication usage for prescribers, pharmacists and regulators. It is important that such a system be linked to the regulatory and monitoring approaches outlined in Priority Area 4. Progress implementation of the nationally-based and jurisdictionally consistent Electronic Recording and Reporting of Controlled Drugs (ERRCD) system which enables prescribers, dispensers and regulators to have real time online access to information concerning patients’ access to prescription opioids and other Schedule 8 medicines. Consider future enhancements to the ERRCD system to meet the characteristics of a comprehensive coordinated medication management system. Where necessary, enhance the required regulatory infrastructure to respond to ERRCD system-generated data. Coordinate national education about the ERRCD system for health and welfare professionals and the broader community. Supporting prescribers This area focuses on a range of strategies that enhance prescribing practice to minimise intentional and unintentional misuse. This includes Develop and/or promote national guidelines for the (non-pharmacological and pharmacological) treatment of conditions commonly implicated in the problematic use of these pharmaceuticals including: Pain (acute, chronic non-malignant and cancer); pharmacological
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