The ACT government has launched a new long-awaited real-time prescription monitoring service in an attempt to tackle abuse of prescription medicines.
The new tool would allow a medical practitioner to examine a patient's drug history before prescribing new medications.
Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith said it was hoped the system would play a critical role in reducing harm and preventable deaths.
The ACT government passed legislation to allow for the monitoring system back in 2018. A system was developed in 2019 but this was ACT-specific.
The new system, called Canberra Script, is part of a broader national monitoring system that is being implemented across the country.
The new system was recommended in several coronial inquiries into the deaths of Canberrans who had died from prescription drugs.
"Over recent years we've heard the stories of families who have been impacted by the deaths of loved ones as a result of their use of illicit drugs in a way that is not safe," Ms Stephen-Smith said.
"And we've heard from coronial inquests about the importance general practitioners and pharmacists having access to good information about the drug use that their patients are experiencing."
The old system was also criticised for being difficult to use and Ms Stephen-Smith said the new system had better functionality.
"It's really been designed to integrate with the systems that healthcare providers and pharmacists already use and have in place," she said.
"We know that the current system while it's had good uptake across the ACT is more difficult and challenging to use."
MORE A.C.T. POLITICS NEWS:
- Flammable cladding assessments underway for 16 private ACT buildings
- ACT's procurement issues may be 'endemic': integrity commissioner
- Racing Minister rejects 'wild speculation' ACT is considering horse racing ban
Ms Stephen-Smith said the system had to be developed in consultation with stakeholders, the Commonwealth and other jurisdictions.
"It has been really important that we engage with prescribers and dispensers to make sure that the system is what they need and what they are going to want to use in their practices to support their patients to make it as easy as possible," Ms Stephen-Smith said.
The program is voluntary and there are about 120 registered users in Canberra, including general practitioners, nurse practitioners and pharmacists.
