ScriptCheckWA a 'game changer' in battle to curb addiction, abuse of controlled medicines

Epic Pharmacy manager John Forster says the big improvement will be in the real-time notifications. (ABC News: Abby Richards)

A new digital monitoring system is being rolled out to doctors and pharmacists across WA to help combat "doctor shopping" for prescription drugs.

Doctor shopping is when patients consult a number of different doctors to obtain prescriptions for drugs such as morphine, oxycodone, methadone and cannabis-based products.

Those drugs will form part of the crackdown, as will a number of other miscellaneous drugs, primarily for pain and anxiety.

The state government is hoping to tackle the problem through the new system, ScriptCheckWA, which provides access to data on the movement of controlled drugs around the clock.

Medicines including morphine, oxycodone, methadone and cannabis-based products will be among those being closely monitored. (ABC News: Abby Richards)

The real-time database also improves communication between GPs and pharmacies and allows them to instantly detect and put a stop to doctor shopping.

The government has been trialling ScriptCheckWA for the past two months with a select group of WA doctors.

In a statement, Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson said the trial found vast improvements in the way patients could be supported, and medication risks managed.

'Rapid identification' of people with drug problems

ScriptCheckWA will be rolled out to general practitioners and community pharmacies across the state from March 28.

Ms Sanderson described the system as a "game changer".

The ScriptCheckWA system is being launched across WA later this month. (Unsplash: Olga DeLawrence)

"The strength of the new ScriptCheckWA system is that it now gives health practitioners instant, secure access to this data, as it occurs," she said.

"Better access to this data will support rapid identification of people with a drug problem and assist with their timely referral into an appropriate drug treatment program."

'The blindfold has been removed'

Epic Pharmacy manager John Forster also expected the system to be a game changer.

"No-one has had any visibility over the number of doctor visits or the number of pharmacy visits," he said.

"So now the blindfold has been removed and we can see exactly what's happening. It's much safer for the community."

John Forster says there has been little visibility over people's doctor appointments and prescriptions in the past. (ABC News: Abby Richards)

Mr Forster said the success of the new system would be in its timeliness.

"Up until now, the [WA] Health Department has received our data, but it's been delayed, whereas this is real-time monitoring," he said.

"So, when we dispense something, we're told instantly if the person had it or not had it at another pharmacy."

The Health Department will monitor the early outcomes of the system and consider adding other problematic prescription medicines in the future.