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Community Update 17Community Update 17

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March 2009

Welcome to the latest issue of Community Update, provided by the National Prescribing Service Limited (NPS).

The NPS Community Update helps keep you informed about issues around medicines use as they relate to individuals and the community.

In this issue:

News

Links to other helpful NPS publications

Free information from NPS

News

Announcing a new online Macedonian Medimate

NPS, the Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia (FECCA) and the Macedonian Community Welfare Association (MCWA) in Victoria have collaborated in the production of an online version of the Macedonian Medimate. The Medimate brochure helps consumers to find, understand and use information about medicines. The Macedonian Medimate is available on the NPS website.

Pharmacists can now use interpreters for free

In December 2008, the Federal Government announced that free telephone interpreting services would be available to pharmacies across Australia. Registered pharmacies across Australia are now able to access the Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS National), operated by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship. TIS National provides telephone interpreting services 24 hours a day, seven days a week and has interpreters speaking more than 160 languages and dialects.

The decision follows from the review of a six month pilot program that extended free interpreting services to pharmacies. Pharmacies who participated in this pilot used interpreting services more frequently and reported improved outcomes in terms of consumer understanding of medicines.

In research undertaken by FECCA and NPS, communication problems between culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) health consumers and health professionals have frequently been cited as a barrier to the safe and effective use of medicines. We therefore encourage the promotion and uptake of the free interpreting service through our networks.

General practitioners and specialists in private practice already have access to free interpreting through TIS National.

More information about the interpreting service for pharmacists is available from the Department of Immigration and Citizenship. Further information about TIS National can also be found on IMMI website or by calling 1300 655 820.

Generic medicines are an equal choice campaign — information for seniors from culturally and linguistically diverse communities

Seniors from culturally and linguistically diverse communities will be targeted in the third phase of the National Prescribing Service Limited’s (NPS) Generic medicines are an equal choice campaign.

NPS, in partnership with Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia (FECCA), will be running radio announcements and interviews with health professionals on SBS and other community language radio stations across Australia in March and April.

NPS and FECCA are developing a translated brochure with information about generic medicines in Chinese (simplified and traditional script), Italian, Greek and Vietnamese. These brochures will be available to order for free or download from 31 March.

Key messages during this phase of the campaign are:

  • Generic medicines contain the same active ingredient as the original brand medicines.
  • Generic medicines may look different or come in different packaging.
  • Generic medicines meet the same Australian Government safety and quality standards as other medicines.

Other translated information resources currently available to assist people in managing medicines include:

These resources are available to order for free or download.

Proposed research with new and emerging communities and humanitarian entrants

New and emerging communities and humanitarian entrants have been identified as priority target groups for the Multicultural Community Quality Use of Medicines (MCQUM) Program.

This year NPS and the Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia (FECCA) will be undertaking research to inform future QUM programs for new and emerging communities and humanitarian entrants.

If you would like to receive further information about the research, please contact Corinne at FECCA on 02 6282 5755 or via email at mcqum2@fecca.org.au.

Australian mosaic — improving understanding of QUM in CALD communities

The Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia (FECCA) publishes a national magazine, Australian mosaic, three times a year.

Australian mosaic discusses a wide range of contemporary issues associated with multiculturalism, social justice, community harmony and cultural and faith pluralism in Australia. The November 2008 edition focuses on culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) Australian seniors, with an article on the quality use of medicines (QUM) issues for these communities and strategies FECCA and NPS are undertaking when promoting QUM to these communities.

You can read the QUM Australian mosaic article on the NPS website. 

New seniors peer education module: More than medicines — living well

The module More than medicines — living well is the third in the series of modules for the Seniors Peer Education Program, a program delivered for NPS by the Council on the Ageing. This module builds on the messages of the first Quality Use of Medicines module and provides information about the benefits of modifying lifestyle factors that impact on the health and wellbeing of seniors, particularly those living with chronic conditions.

The first module on the quality use of medicines has been the cornerstone of the seniors program, but concentrates on medicines information only. The More than medicines — living well module builds on that work, by concentrating on broader lifestyle factors that contribute to and influence the health and wellbeing of seniors.

While the More than medicines — living well module does not focus on medicine-specific information like the generic medicines or QUM modules, it does fit firmly in the quality use of medicines framework. This new module will introduce seniors to the idea that medicines may not be necessary if lifestyle changes provide similar results to medicines and that the adoption of a healthy lifestyle is an important adjunct to medicines use.

The More than medicines — living well module can be delivered as a general session or can incorporate additional condition-specific key messages for type 2 diabetes, chronic pain and hypertension, depending on the needs of the group. It is intended that the Quality Use of Medicines module will be a pre-requisite for the More than medicines — living well module.

Free community information sessions are held Australia wide to deliver these modules. Find out more information about booking a session from the Seniors Peer Education Program.

New fact sheet: Chronic pain — what can I do?

The NPS recently developed a new fact sheet for consumers on chronic pain. The fact sheet provides general information on the main types of pain relief medicines, non-medicine treatments and the importance of an individually tailored pain management plan developed in collaboration with a doctor.

We would like to acknowledge the valuable input from the Consumers Health Forum of Australia, Diabetes Tasmania and Chronic Pain Australia in the development of this resource.

You can:

Consumer perspectives on complementary medicines

Australian consumers purchase a wide range of complementary medicines (CMs) and consult a range of complementary and alternative practitioners, including naturopaths, acupuncturists and Chinese herbal medicine practitioners.

NPS has recently researched the information needs and preferences of consumers and health professionals about CMs.

Many users of CMs in this study perceived their use of CMs as ‘natural’ and part of a holistic view of health. The research identified that many consumers are using some CMs for general wellbeing or to prevent illness despite a lack of evidence for this. Many users of CMs were not aware of the side effects of some CMs and their potential interaction with conventional medicines, which may put some users at unnecessary risk of harm. Only half of CMs users discuss their use of CMs with their doctors, and many are reliant on sources of information about CMs that are of variable quality, reliability and authority.

The report recommends that consumers discuss their use of CMs with health professionals and that access to independent and reliable information on CMs is important to support the quality use of CMs.

The complementary medicines reports on the consumer and health professional research were released in December 2008 and are available on NPS website.

Profile: Faces in the community — Corinne Dobson

This is the fifth article in this series profiling members of the NPS Community Quality Use of Medicines (CQUM) Working Group. The working group comprises health professionals, consumers, government and health promotion representatives, and provides strategic advice about reaching consumers to effectively share program information and messages about the best use of medicines.

Corinne manages the MCQUM program for FECCA and has a background in social and scientific research, and in managing health promotion programs for culturally and linguistically diverse communities. Before completing her studies in cultural anthropology, Corinne worked as a research chemist at the Australian National University. She has subsequently been involved in several research projects in the university and non-government sectors investigating the health needs of disadvantaged Australians.

Prior to her involvement in the multicultural sector, she undertook research in regional NSW, and became involved in advocacy for regional Australians with disabilities and mental health conditions.

While committed to ensuring that people traditionally marginalised by mainstream health services and programs have improved access to information and better opportunities for participation Corinne says:

A real challenge for health promotion services, such as NPS, is engaging with harder to reach consumers and communities, many of whom experience barriers to accessing appropriate health care and information. The challenges of managing multiple medicines can be compounded when difficulties arising from cultural, social or linguistic issues are taken into account. However, my experiences in working with migrants and refugees have also reinforced the positive outcomes that can be achieved when communities are engaged and empowered as partners in programs to promote health.

Corinne is currently finalising research around the use of medicines among Arabic-speaking communities.

NPS RSS feed now available

Do you want to keep up to date with information about medicines? We know that consumers want to find information about medicines that is written in simple language, and about treatments for a certain conditions. They also want to know how to manage their health and/or their medicines, and to be able to share these resources with others. Our new-look website has been created with these things in mind.
 
If you would like to keep up-to-date about medicines, you (or your clients) can subscribe to an RSS feed or an e-alert and receive an email when new editions of Medicine Update and MedicinesTalk and other relevant materials become available.

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Links to other helpful NPS publications

MedicinesTalk — articles to use in your newsletters

Did you know that you can use MedicinesTalk articles in your newsletters?

Simply reproduce the article in full and include acknowledgment of NPS and the relevant issue date: e.g. 'Reproduced with permission, National Prescribing Service, MedicinesTalk <issue month and year>'.

The summer edition of MedicinesTalk is now available. You can read about:

  • Valuable information a pharmacist can give you about your medicines
  • Pharmacy medicines explained
  • Questions to ask a pharmacist about medicines
  • The facts about generic medicines.

Read the latest edition and find back issues on the MedicinesTalk web page. You can opt in to receive hard copies of future issues of MedicinesTalk and other free NPS information by visiting the NPS online catalogue.

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Free information from NPS

NPS has many other free resources for use by community groups and health professionals.

To view and order NPS's extensive range of medicines information resources, go to NPS online catalogue.

For permission to reprint articles email us.

Subscribe

Follow these links to subscribe or unsubscribe from Community Update.

If you would like to keep up-to-date about medicines, you (or your clients) can subscribe to an RSS feed or an e-alert and receive an email when new editions of Medicine Update and MedicinesTalk and other relevant materials become available.

NPS and partner organisations actively engage with communities to encourage a greater understanding of medicines, as well as if, when and how to use them to improve health and wellbeing. This includes:

  • information about how to select management options wisely
  • if medicines are considered necessary, how to choose suitable medicines
  • and how to store and use medicines safely and effectively.

The NPS definition of medicines includes prescription, over-the-counter and herbal and natural therapies (such as vitamins and supplements).

The quality use of medicines is a central objective of Australia's National Medicines Policy. 

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Date published: 2009-03-27 00:00:00

Reasonable care is taken to provide accurate information at the date of creation. This information is not intended as a substitute for medical advice from a qualified health professional. Health professionals should rely on their own expertise and enquiries when providing medical advice or treatment. Where permitted by law, NPS disclaims all liability (including for negligence) for any loss, damage or injury resulting from reliance on or use of this information. Read our full disclaimer.

References to brands should not be taken as an endorsement by NPS.