By CAM LUCADOU-WELLS
THE State Government has announced a real-time prescription monitoring system, weeks after the State Coroner called for its urgent implementation.
The system rollout, announced as part of the 2016/17 budget, is expected to reduce overdoses due to “prescription shopping” from multiple doctors and pharmacies, according to the government.
Clinicians at 1900 GP clinics, 1300 pharmacies and 200 hospitals will be able to do an on-the-spot check before prescribing or dispensing medicines that are at high risk of misuse.
About 90 Victorian lives in the next five years could be saved as a result.
As part of a $30 million package, the government announced extra counselling and addiction treatment services, as well as training and support for doctors and pharmacists to identify and help prescription drug misusers early.
The new scheme will include oxycodone and morphine, with upcoming talks with medical and pharmacy groups on how to best include other drugs such as diazepam.
Health Minister Jill Hennessy said more Victorians died from prescription drug overdoses (330 deaths in 2015) than road crashes.
“We can’t afford to wait any longer to take action.”
Since 2012, there have been 21 coronial findings calling for the implementation of a Victorian real-time prescription monitoring system.
The most recent was on 6 April into the death of a Hampton Park man who shopped for prescribed diazepam sedatives from eight GPs and a community health service – on top of his methadone treatment.
“(The man) was clearly engaged in prescription shopping and at the time of his death, as is the case even today, there were no effective tools available for prescribing doctors to establish who else a patient had attended for scripts,” State Coroner Audrey Jamieson wrote.
According to statistics cited by the State Coroner, 65 people died of a drug overdose in Casey between 2009/15 – the sixth-highest metro area rate in the state.
Of those, pharmaceuticals (55) were involved more than illicit drugs (22) or alcohol (12). Some of these deaths included combinations of the three categories.
Among the biggest killers are the anti-anxiety drug diazepam, opioid painkillers such as codeine, methadone and oxycodone, and anti-depressants.
Victorian Alcohol and Drug Association chief executive Sam Biondo said the government should be applauded for the “positive move”.
Mr Biondo said the government had to deal with an expected rising demand for treatment. It should also mount a broader education campaign on the issue, he said.
It was also time for the federal and other state governments to follow suit so to stop “prescription shopping” continuing across borders.
“It’s a complex situation. It doesn’t mean you necessarily solve the problem. We’re talking about addictions and dependacies.
“But it will make a difference in the community.”
