National Prescribing Service Limited (NPS) is calling for entries from health professionals, including doctors, pharmacists, nurses, divisions of general practice and Home Medicines Review facilitators who have implemented Quality Use of Medicines (QUM) programs or activities to enter the 2006 National QUM Awards.

Celebrating excellence in QUM, these biennial awards recognise the originators of QUM work and the contribution of health professionals, the community, students, consumers, pharmaceutical companies, government, the health industry and the media to achieving better use of medicines.

In the Health Professional Category entries can be made for national, state, regional or local QUM activities that have been targeted at health professionals, consumers, community or industry over the last two years.

The National QUM Awards will be presented at the National Medicines Symposium dinner at Parliament House Canberra on Thursday 8 June 2006.

QUM principles are:

• Selecting management options wisely

• Choosing suitable medicines if a medicine is considered necessary

• Using medicines safely and effectively

Entry details are available at www.nps.org.au/events and close on 6 April 2006.

Previous recipients of the QUM Awards Health Professional Category include South Australian Department of Health for The QUM Coast Project, and School of Population Health, The University of Queensland for Individual medication effectiveness test service.

ENDS

National Prescribing Service Limited provides independent, evidence-based information and services to health professionals and the community on Quality Use of Medicines. To achieve this we work in partnership with GPs, pharmacists, specialists, other health professionals, Government, pharmaceutical industry, consumer organisations and the community. NPS is an independent, non-profit organisation funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing.