3 April 2009

National Prescribing Service Ltd (NPS) invites health professionals and interested health organisations to provide feedback on a consultation report about medicines issues in palliative care and end of life, which will guide future NPS programs in this area.

In mid 2008, NPS consulted key health organisations and individuals on the perceived gaps in achieving quality use of medicines (QUM) in palliative or end of life care.

Following these consultations, the report titled ‘Understanding the issues and exploring the strategies to achieve quality use of medicines in palliative care and end of life’ was developed in collaboration with Palliative Care Australia (PCA).

The report describes the key factors affecting the achievement of QUM in palliative care and proposes strategies to improve QUM in these areas. The key factors are based on QUM principles:

1. the judicious choice of management options
2. the appropriate choice of medicines, where a medicine is considered necessary
3. safe and effective use.

The recommendations for action have been framed around the National Strategy for Quality Use of Medicines. The report details areas where QUM may be improved including:

1. policy development and implementation
2. facilitation and co-ordination of QUM activities
3. provision of objective information and assurance of ethical promotion of medicines
4. education and training
5. provision of services and appropriate interventions
6. strategic research, evaluation and routine data collection.

NPS is seeking responses and comments from a wide range of health professionals and interest groups by Wednesday 20 May 2009. The consultation report is available for download here.

Please email the report containing your feedback in the boxes provided to: aheaney@nps.org.au  

Written responses can be mailed to:

The final report is due to be completed in June 2009.

ENDS

The National Prescribing Service Limited (NPS) is an independent, non-profit organisation for Quality Use of Medicines funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing.