VICTORIA is pressing ahead with its own $29.5 million real-time prescription monitoring system, with enabling legislation passing the state's parliament yesterday.
Minister for Health Jill Hennessy hailed the milestone, confirming the new software, called "SafeScript", would be developed over the next twelve months and deployed in stages from late 2018.
"SafeScript will provide doctors, nurse practitioners and pharmacists access to an up-to-the-minute database to review prescription histories of patients in their care and enable safer clinical decision," Hennessy said.
She confirmed the system would monitor all Schedule 8 medicines such as morphine and oxycodone, along with other high-risk drugs including all benzodiazepines.
Once fully implemented it will be mandatory for prescribers and pharmacists to check the system before writing or dispensing a prescription for a high risk medicine "with some exceptions in certain circumstances".
The minister said the legislation also streamlines the existing Schedule 8 permit requirements "to reduce duplication and regulatory burden for clinicians".
More support will also be offered to minimise any impact the system may have on clinicians and to ensure that SafeScript is embedded in existing clinical work.
"It is a tragedy that so many lives are lost to prescription medicine misuse," Hennessy said.
"SafeScript will be the most comprehensive real-time prescription monitoring system in Australia...it will be effective and user-friendly for health professionals, while protecting the public from avoidable harm".
Hennessy said the software would be developed over the next year alongside public consultation and training for health professionals.
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