Quality use of medicines in the multicultural community teaching resource

Jointly produced by the National Prescribing Service and the Adult Migrant Education Service in Victoria, this resource aims to help promote the Quality Use of Medicines in the multicultural community. Knowing about medicines helps people to

• get better results from the medicines they take
• avoid side effects where possible
• enjoy better health.

Who is this resource for?

The resource is designed for teachers of English as a second language (ESL). The activities are for adult learners at elementary level ISLPR 1/High CSWE 1 - CSWE 2.

Who else can use this resource?

Anyone is welcome to download these materials. In addition to ESL teachers, they may be of interest to community organisations/workers running interactive Quality Use of Medicines activities such as health information groups.

What is Quality Use of Medicines?

NPS understands 'medicines' to mean both prescription medicines and nonprescription medicines including over-thecounter medicines and alternative medicines. In brief, Quality Use of Medicines means:

• selecting management options wisely
• choosing the most suitable medicine, if a medicine is necessary, and
• using medicines safely and effectively.

This resource

The resource consists of a set of six readers, six activity workbooks and twelve audio files.

Each reader includes a narrative, followed by a dialogue on a particular topic relating to the safe use of medicines. The narrative can be used to introduce the topic and predict what will happen next. The dialogue can then be used to check predictions, and it resolves the situation or issue.

Each activity workbook provides six activities for each reader. Activities provide practice in comprehension, listening, speaking, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, reading and writing. Key messages covered in each reader and accompanying activities are listed in the Activity workbook for each unit.

It is not necessary to attempt all units or activities. Choose the most appropriate activities according to the interest of the students.

Each reader audio file contains the same narrative, dialogue from the reader and the audio exercise file contains the listening, and pronunciation exercises from the workbook.

All the answer keys and audio scripts are provided in the one Activity Answers file.

Where to get more information

Always use doctors and pharmacists for reliable information about medicines.

Other reliable sources of information

www.nps.org.au
National Prescribing Service website promoting Quality Use of Medicines.

NPS Medicines Line
1300 888 763
(Mon - Fri 9am-6pm Eastern Standard Time)

Consumer Medicine Information (CMI) leaflets
CMI leaflets are available for all prescription medicines and some medicines that you buy over the counter. You can find a CMI for your medicine, by using our CMI search service.

www.healthinsite.gov.au
Website sponsored by the Australian Government to provide quality information on a range of health topics.