NSW Labor promises RTPM

REAL-TIME prescription monitoring (RTPM) is emerging as a key political issue in NSW, with the state Labor opposition yesterday promising to spend $30 million on a system over four years if it is elected to power.

Labor leader Luke Foley yesterday announced the funding for a system which would be “patterned on Victoria’s SafeScript scheme”.

Foley said the software would link pharmacies and GP surgeries via a database to reduce patients “doctor or chemist-shopping” and abusing prescription medications at high risk of misuse.

“It will also alert patients who are unaware that they have slipped into misuse or addiction,” he said.

Foley highlighted the recent report by NSW deputy state coroner Harriet Grahame (PD 08 Aug) where she urged the state’s Health Minister to “urgently consider raising the priority for the introduction of real-time prescription monitoring” following an inquest into the death of Sydney woman Alissa Campbell in 2015.

The coroner particularly highlighted testimony from NSW chief pharmacist Judith Mackson who said under current plans, a real-time prescription monitoring system for NSW was “years away”.

Foley said Labor’s plan would see the creation of a system to monitor the prescriptions of all S8 medicines, as well as tranquillisers, sleeping tablets, anti-psychotics and codeine.

It would also include a public awareness campaign and additional training and support for health professionals.

“The Victorian Government is leading the way with Australia’s first large-scale real-time prescription monitoring system and NSW needs to catch-up,” the Labor leader said.

He urged the current coalition government to introduce real-time prescription monitoring.

“If it doesn’t act on this Labor will, if elected in 2019,” Foley concluded.