Aboriginal Health Forum
Quality Use of Medicines
Overview
General Practitioners are the largest group of prescribers in Australia. The 2005-2006 BEACH Report reports that:
- Medications are the most common form of patient management
- GPs prescribed over 79 million medications for patients in 2005-2006
- GPs supplied over 8 million medications directly to patients (e.g. vaccinations), and
- GPs recommended more than 9 million �over the counter� medications to patients.
View 2005-2006 BEACH Report (external PDF 0.99MB)
While these figures are large, it is important to note that the rate of prescribing has fallen by 13% in the 7 years from 1999. This is possibly due to GP education and the increasing emergence of non-pharmaceutical interventions.
At GPV, the quality use of medications program has 2 main arms:
- The Home Medications Review program with the Pharmacy Guild
- Academic detailing through divisions with the National Prescribing Service.
GPV works with Victorian divisions to support the facilitators working to promote both programs to local GPs. GPV convenes a quarterly QUM Advisory Group to bring together membership from DHS and various pharmacy organisations. At the meetings, members share information about current activities and GPV plans alliances and activities to assist with overall QUM program coordination for the divisions.
For further information please contact:
Lee Stamford, Program Consultant Ph: 03 9341 5233 | Fax 03 9341 5299 | Email: l.stamford@gpv.org.au