Doctor shopping and what it means for GPs For the sixth in a series on legal matters in general practice, newsGP spoke with two experts regarding what GPs need to know about doctor shopping.
NSW push for real-time monitoring to reduce prescription drug misuse The NSW opposition has announced plans for a real-time prescription monitoring system in an effort to curb growing opioid deaths, but the State Government is clear in its belief that a national approach is needed.
Codeine to be added to Victoria’s prescription monitoring system The Victorian Government will include codeine in its upcoming real-time prescription monitoring system, the state’s Health Minister Jill Hennessy has announced.
GPs critical of ‘intimidating, unpleasant’ warning letter over opioid prescribing One in five of Australia’s GPs has – or will shortly – received a warning letter over their level of opioid prescribing. Many are not happy.
Government to warn almost 5000 GPs over high rates of opioid prescribing RACGP flags concerns over campaign to reduce opioid overuse.
Pharmacists’ codeine fears overstated, GP says While pharmacists have raised concerns about a shortage of low-dose codeine, Dr Evan Ackermann, a GP with a special interest in drugs of dependence, says the evidence supports up-scheduling.
Progress made on national real-time prescription monitoring Australia is a step closer to achieving national real-time prescription monitoring, after federal and state health ministers agreed to push for a federated model.
Age of opioid pharmacotherapy patients increasing, report says The median age of opioid pharmacotherapy patients is increasing, according to a recent Australian Institute of Health and Welfare report.
RACGP recommends options for regulation of schedule 8 prescription opioids The RACGP has made a submission to the Department of Health detailing its proposed options for the regulation of schedule 8 prescription opioid medicines.
Discussing the effects of codeine up-scheduling in general practice Dr Evan Ackermann, GP and key author of the RACGP’s ‘Prescribing drugs of dependence in general practice: Part C’, talks with newsGP about his initial experiences following the up-scheduling of codeine.