Entries are open until March 15 in the biennial National QUM Awards which celebrate significant contributions to Quality Use of Medicines (QUM).

The Awards recognise the originators of QUM work and their contribution to achieving better use of medicines at a national, state, regional or local level. The Awards are an initiative of National Prescribing Service Limited (NPS) and the Pharmaceutical Health And Rational use of Medicines (PHARM) Committee.

Individuals, groups and organisations are encouraged to submit entries if they have contributed to QUM through a best practice activity, program or other initiative. Current activities or initiatives that have been completed within the last two years are eligible.

Entrants may include health professionals, students, consumers, state and federal government departments, health organisations or facilities, medicines industries, the community, consumers journalists and communication professionals.

Award categories include Health Professional QUM Award, Community QUM Award, Health Organisation QUM Award, Media QUM Award and NMS Poster Presentation Award.

Posters displayed at the National Medicines Symposium 2008 (NMS) are automatically entered in the NMS Poster Presentation Award. Submission in this category is by way of an abstract. Abstract submissions close on February 8, 2008.

QUM is one of the central objectives of Australia's National Medicines Policy. QUM principles include selecting management options wisely, choosing suitable medicines if a medicine is considered necessary and using medicines safely and effectively.

Winners in the 2006 Awards include the NSW Cancer Institute and St Vincent’s Hospital (Sydney); The Pharmaceutical Alliance, a collaboration of research-based pharmaceutical companies Eli Lilly Australia, GlaxoSmithKline and Merck Sharp & Dohme; and the Department of Veterans’ Affairs.

The Awards will be judged by independent QUM and subject matter experts. They will be presented at the NMS dinner at the National Convention Centre, Canberra on May 15, 2008.

Full entry details are on the NPS website www.nps.org.au/events.

ENDS

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.