Victoria monitoring laws

THE Victorian government will implement the state’s own realtime prescription monitoring system in 2018 rather than the planned national Electronic Reporting and Recording of Controlled Drugs (ERRCD) system, with legislation for the project introduced into Victoria’s parliament yesterday.

Vic Health Minister Jill Hennessy said “specific fit-for-purpose software will be built for Victorian clinicians,” due to limitations of the existing Commonwealth software.

Under the proposed Vic Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Amendment (Real-time Prescription Monitoring) Bill 2017, it will be mandatory for pharmacists to check the system before dispensing a prescription for a high-risk medicine.

It will monitor all Schedule 8 medicines and other high-risk drugs, including all benzodiazpines, and will streamline existing S8 permit requirements to reduce duplication and red tape.

At this stage codeine will not be included in the system, but may be added after it becomes prescription only in &eb 2018.

Hennessy said because Victoria would be the first state to roll out a prescription monitoring system of this scale and ensure it was embedded in clinical practice, appropriate transitional arrangements would be in place before it became mandatory.

The Bill strikes the right balance between maximising the safety and wellbeing of all Victorians and minimising any additional impact that the system may have on prescribers and pharmacists, according to the announcement.

“Our legislation will allow Victoria to implement the most comprehensive real-time prescription monitoring system in Australia. We know it will save lives,” Hennessy said.

Victorian Pharmacy Guild branch president Anthony Tassone welcomed the legislation, saying “the Guild is committed to working closely with the government to deliver a robust solution that delivers training for doctors and pharmacists, drug addiction counselling and support for patients - and a broader capture of substances identified”.