National
Prescribing Program
The
National Prescribing Service (NPS) was established in 1998 to provide
general practitioners, other health professionals and consumers with
evidence based information about medicines.
It is a non-profit organisation independent of government and the
pharmaceutical industry, with its own board including members who are
general practitioners and specialists. Although it maintains
independence from the government it is ultimately funded through Federal
Government resources.
The aim of the NPS is to improve health outcomes for all Australians by
promoting current best practice management of specific therapeutic
areas.
In
early 2002 the division commenced receiving funding from the NPS to
co-ordinate NPS services locally.
The
current divisional program is focused on providing GPs with unbiased
information on therapeutics and promoting the adoption of best practice
guidelines. Primarily this is achieved by giving every GP within the
division the opportunity to participate in practice visits.
Ideally
GPs are seen individually for 30 minutes in their practice at a
convenient time. Each visit provides concise evidence based information
on a specific therapeutic area that can be used in daily practice. Two
topics are available for practice visits each year.
A NPS facilitator is employed by the division to provide educational
visits and answer queries regarding NPS material or qualifying for PIP
payments. Information is also disseminated to GPs and practices in
response to current medical revelations of importance or which have
attracted consumer interest.
For those practices registered for PIP, participation in NPS activities
counts towards qualifying for Quality Prescribing Initiative (QPI)
payments. To determine how many activities need to be completed
annually, the first page of the quarterly practice PIP statement should
be consulted. More information on QPI payments can be obtained from the
NPS facilitator at the division or the HIC on 1800 222 032
The NPS also operates a Therapeutic Advice and Information Service (TAIS)
which provides health professionals with immediate drug information
advice over the phone. It operates every weekday between 9.00am and
7.00pm and can be contacted on: 1300 138 677
NPS
Facilitator Kath Griffin
Links:
NPS Website: www.nps.org.au
HIC Website: www.hic.gov.au/pip
(Last Updated 08 January
2007)
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