Information for organisations working with CALD communities

Although medicines can help improve the health of consumers, all medicines have risks as well as benefits. The risks for culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) consumers can be higher, particularly for those with low English language proficiency and literacy levels. 

In addition to our translated health information the National Prescribing Service (NPS), Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia (FECCA) and our partners have other resources that organisations can use to promote the quality use of medicines to CALD consumers. These include:

• Translated health information about medicines
• ESL teaching resource
• MedicinesTalk
• Medicines peer education sessions for people over 50
• Articles on medicines use and CALD communities
• Radio program content
• Community education sessions
• NPS Medicines Line
• Free telephone interpreting service for pharmacists.

Translated health information about medicines

NPS works with the FECCA and other partners to provide translated health information about medicines.

The information available below will help you become more familiar with medicines, manage medicines safely and learn more about your medicine options. Information is available in traditional Chinese, simplified Chinese, Italian, Greek, Vietnamese, Macedonian and Croatian.

A teaching resource for adult English as a second language classes

Download our ESL teaching resource that can be used in English language classes with adult learners. This resource was developed with the Adult Multicultural Education Services (AMES) Victoria and includes short stories, activity workbooks and audio files about using medicines safely.

Order by fax a free hardcopy of this resource.

MedicinesTalk

Written by consumers for consumers, MedicinesTalk is a free quarterly newsletter that gives reliable, accurate information and useful hints on managing medicines. Organisations can translate articles for their newsletters or community radio.

Download MedicinesTalk articles. 

Medicines peer education sessions for people over 50

Book a free medicines peer education session for seniors from CALD communities. NPS works in partnership with the COTA organisations to deliver these sessions to seniors groups.

Publications on medicines use and CALD communities

Download publications on medicines use and CALD communities:

• Participation and inclusion in health promotion practice: The Multicultural Community Quality Use of Medicines Program Reprinted with permission from Australian mosaic.
• Improving understanding of medicine use in CALD communities — Reprinted with permission from Australian mosaic.

Radio program content

Listen to our radio community service announcements, or download them and place them on your website.

In Cantonese	In Mandarin	In Italian
Doctor Chen give tips on how to manage your medicines. A message about keeping a list of your medicines and taking as directed by your doctor or pharmacist. Doctor Chen talks about generic medicines. A message about generic medicines and the active ingredient in your medicine.	Doctor Chen give tips on how to manage your medicines. A message about keeping a list of your medicines and taking as directed by your doctor or pharmacist. Doctor Chen talks about generic medicines. A message about generic medicines and the active ingredient in your medicine.	Doctor Rossi give tips on how to manage your medicines. A message about keeping a list of your medicines and taking as directed by your doctor or pharmacist. You can listen to a four part series in Italian on using medicines safely by Dr Tony Cocchiaro, SBS Radio. Doctor Rossi talks about generic medicines. A message about generic medicines and the active ingredient in your medicine.

Download the English scripts of the radio community service announcements and you can translate these for your local community radio station:

• Cantonese and Mandarin script
• Italian script.
  

Download the English script of our radio interviews and you can translate these for your local community radio station. 

Community education session

Ask a bilingual health professional to run a community education seminar through your organisation using our PowerPoint presentations — in Italian, traditional Chinese, simplified Chinese and presentation kit.

NPS Medicines Line

Call NPS Medicines Line on 1300 888 763 to speak to a qualified pharmacist about medicines. NPS Medicines Line is not an emergency service. Available Monday to Friday, 9am–5pm (EST) for the cost of a local call (calls from mobiles may cost more).

If you need an interpreter, call the Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS National) on 131 450 and ask to speak to the NPS Medicines Line on 1300 888 763.

Free telephone interpreting service for pharmacists

Registered pharmacies around Australia are now able to access free telephone interpreting services 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Pharmacies should register with the Translation and Interpreting Service (TIS) National on 131 450.

These free services are also available for:

• general practitioners providing Medicare services and their reception staff to arrange appointments and provide results of medical tests
• non-profit, non-government, community-based organisations for case work and emergency services where the organisation does not receive funding to provide these services
• local government authorities to communicate with non-English speaking residents on issues such as rates, garbage collection and urban services
• Emergency Management Australia.

Queries and questions?

Please email NPS with any questions or queries on promoting the safe use of medicines with CALD consumers.

Footer