National Prescribing Service Limited (NPS) is an independent, non-profit organisation for Quality Use of Medicines.

NPS provide accurate, balanced, evidence-based information and services to help people choose if, when and how to use medicines to improve their health and wellbeing.

NPS are member-based, and work in partnership with health professionals, consumers, government and the pharmaceutical industry and are funded by the Australian Government Department of Health & Ageing.

For more information visit http://www.nps.org.au

Therapeutic Topics available to General Practitioners and Health Professionals:

Central West Gipsland Division of General Practice, in partnership with National Prescribing Service Ltd (NPS) is offering a program on best practice for Opioid therapy in chronic pain: use a planned approach.

This program provides a valuable opportunity to discuss up-to-date, independent, practical, evidence-based information on current therapeutic issues with a highly skilled NPS facilitator and other general practitioners.

This program will focus on:

• Use of a pain management plan to manage a patient with chronic pain
• Why opioid therapy should be initiated as a short term  therapeutic trial
• Steps to reassess the benefit of ongoing opioid therapy in chronic pain
• Options for dealing with ‘breakthrough’ pain

What’s in it for me?

1. An opportunity to discuss evidence-based information and access key resources
2. Time-efficient education with the NPS facilitator
3. A Quality Prescribing Initiative (QPI) activity within the Practice Incentives Program and eligible for RACGP QA & CPD and/or ACRRM program points

Please contact Alexei Doherty on 5126 2899 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it to organise a one-on-one visit or small group discussion at your practice. Alternatively, please use this flyer.

Clinical Audits available to GPs

Review of opioid prescribing in chronic pain: Improving clinical practice for better patient health

This clinical audit provides GPs with the opportunity to review their management of patients prescribed opioids (excluding tramadol), including codeine-containing analgesics, for chronic non-cancer pain (either as an initial prescription or ongoing supply).

Participation will assist GPs to:

• Identify patients who may benefit from a trial of an opioid and those who require pain specialist referral
• Review your management of patients prescribed an opioid for chronic non-cancer pain
• Reflect on education provided to patients on the potential benefits and harms of opioids and the importance of prescribing an opioid as part of a pain management plan
• Assess patient’s response to opioid therapy and encourage self-monitoring (e.g. use of a pain diary) and engagement with broader non-drug strategies
• Identify patients using an opioid for chronic non-cancer pain long-term, and consider discontinuation or switching of opioid.

Initial data collection must by submitted to NPS by Friday 10 September 2010.

This clinical audit activity has been approved by the RACGP QA&CPD Program, total points for steps 1-5: 40 (Category 1), and by the ACRRM PD Program for 30 points (extended skills) in the 2008–2010 triennium. Points are awarded only to participants who complete the review phase. This audit is recognised for the Quality Prescribing Initiative of the Practice Incentives Program (May 2010 to April 2011).

Enrol now

National Prescribing Service Health Professional Publications:

NPS Nurse Update

Click here to read the July 2010 Update

NPS RADAR May 2010

Rational Assessment of Drugs and Research

Timely, independent information about new drugs

Click here to read the May issue of NPS RADAR 

Australian Prescriber - an indepent review

Australian Prescriber is a free, independent publication providing readily accessible information about drugs and therapeutics, published by the National Prescribing Service. It covers topics for health professionals, students and consumers. Readers can access the full text of all articles online free of charge. Australian health professionals are entitled to a free subscription to the paper copy.

Click here to read the June issue of Australian Prescriber (PDF)

NPS News

Succinct, independent information on therapeutic topics distributed free of charge to all GPs and pharmacists along with Australian Prescriber 6 times a year.

Click here to read the 69th issue of NPS News (PDF)

To view all of the publications available to health professionals visit http://www.nps.org.au/health_professionals/publications

National Prescribing Service Consumer Publications:

Medicines Talk

Written by consumers for consumers, MedicinesTalk is a free quarterly newsletter that gives you reliable, accurate information and useful hints on managing your medicines.

Click here to read the latest edition of Medicines Talk

Community Update

Our regular newsletter that keeps community organisations and consumers updated on what NPS and others are doing to promote Quality Use of Medicines in the community.

Click here to read the latest edition of Community Update

To view all of the publications available to consumers visit http://www.nps.org.au/consumers/publications

Date Updated: July 2010