National Prescribing Service Program

The Hunter Rural Division of General Practice currently facilitates the National Prescribing Service program under this initiative.

The current topics are Therapeutic Choices for Menopausal Symptoms and Management Options to Maximise Sleep. These topics can be delivered to GPs, Practice Nurses and Pharmacists and attracs RACGP/ACCRM, RCNA and PSA points.

Key Messages for Therapeutic Choices for Menopausal Symptoms:

• Discuss a woman’s goals and concerns about menopause and her treatment preferences
• Oestrogen with or without progestogen is the most effective treatment for women with menopausal symptoms
• Consider potential benefits and harms and assess cardiovascular risk
• Tailor the dose and duration of therapy according to individual symptoms and existing risks
• Inform women about the limited efficacy and safety data on complementary and alternative medicines

Key messages for Management Options to Maximise Sleep:

• Explore patient concerns with sleep difficulties –  identify and address causes
• Offer behavioural and cognitive therapies for insomnia
• Discuss and specify the duration of hypnotic medicines use
• Trial discontinuation of hypnotic medicines in long-term use
• Minimise potential harms of hypnotic medicines by engaging patient/carers in managing sleep difficulties

The topics are delivered by our two roving facilitators that are contracted through the National Prescribing Service.

NPS supports health professionals with education and information through our partnership with the local Divisions of General Practice across Australia. Educational visiting forms one of our multi-faceted evidence-based strategies to improve the quality use of medicines (QUM). In Australia and internationally, educational visiting has been shown to be a robust strategy for encouraging health professionals to implement change to enhance QUM in their daily practice. In conjunction with other strategies, educational visiting is used in NPS programs when it is considered a useful strategy to achieve program objectives.

Educational visits are delivered by NPS Facilitators. NPS Facilitators are trained in providing one-to-one communication focusing on delivery of therapeutic key messages. Also, prior to delivering a specific topic, NPS Facilitators receive specialised training in clinical therapeutics and evidence supporting each topic.

Educational visits provide an opportunity for GPs to engage on a one-to-one level with a trained NPS Facilitator to discuss information and evidence relating to a therapeutic topic. The information and discussion can be tailored to meet individual health professional’s needs. These visits, usually approximately 30 minutes in duration, are provided free of charge, at a time and location suitable for the GP.

Educational visits are recognised by a number of health professional bodies as contributing to continuing professional development. They also qualify as an activity for the Quality Prescribing Initiative (QPI) of the Practice Incentives Program (PIP).

To organise an educational visit or a small group meeting in your practice at your convenience, or for more information, please contact Rebecca McNaught at the Division on 02 4933 3824 or rebecca@hrdgp.org.au