The National Prescribing Service (NPS) has received funding from the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing to co-ordinate a new community quality use of medicines (CQUM) program. The comprehensive program will be implemented nationally over the next two years.

Essential to the success of the program will be a partnership with the Consumers Health Forum (CHF) and other consumer groups. CHF has been a driving force in the promotion of the quality use of medicines (QUM) since 1987. NPS and CHF are committed to working together to achieve QUM by strengthening consumer organisations and networks, and building on local expertise.

The program will be guided by a management committee with a majority of consumer members. The consumers have a broad range of backgrounds, experiences and knowledge.

The CQUM team: (L to R) Scott Davis, Jennifer Davis, Amanda Bray and Kay Coppa.

Program team

The CQUM program team at the NPS bring a diversity of experiences to the program, as well as a passionate commitment to health promotion.

Co-Manager Scott Davis grew up in Melanesia and rural Queensland. His work in the design and delivery of health promotion and community development programs has taken him to rural and remote Australia, the Pacific rim and further abroad.

Scott believes that the CQUM program has the potential to make a real difference. Its base in the NPS gives it ready access to people with expertise in medicines, as well as the expertise needed to deliver a national program: strategic communication, training, publications and evaluation. This expertise complements the knowledge and experience of the program’s partners and management committee.

Co-Manager Amanda Bray began her career as a high school teacher, before moving into drug and alcohol counselling. Her childhood in Sydney’s west inspired a desire to work with multicultural communities. Before joining the NPS, she was the Health Promotion Manager at Fairfield Health Service, Sydney.

Health Promotion Officers Kay Coppa and Jennifer Davis have previously worked for cancer organisations. Kay’s commitment to health promotion and community development grew out of her experience of working with health consumer groups. Jennifer arrived in Australia from the UK five years ago. Her work in HIV research inspired a career move to health promotion. She has worked in London, Melbourne and Sydney.

For further information about the CQUM program, please contact us via email or call 02 8217 8700.