The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) has developed three online CPD modules to support pharmacists in providing optimal Quality Use of Medicines (QUM) services to residential aged care facilities.
The three modules which all cover key topics relevant to these services are Providing a QUM service, Psychotropic medicines and Antimicrobial stewardship.
PSA National President Associate Professor Chris Freeman said these modules would greatly assist pharmacists in providing QUM services to our most vulnerable in aged care facilities.
"These modules will assist pharmacists to lift the bar in providing these services according to best practice and support the Guidelines for Quality Use of Medicines (QUM) services which were updated and released in April this year," he said.
"Our recent Medicine Safety: Aged Care report found that over 95 percent of people living in aged care facilities have at least one problem with their medicines detected at the time of a medicines review with most having at least three problems."
"Pharmacists have an incredibly important role to play in reducing medication-related harm and ensuring medicines are used safely and appropriately."
To accompany the modules, a suite of resources have been developed to assist pharmacists in providing QUM services.
These resources include audit tools for psychotropic medicines and antimicrobials, sample informed consent form, sample letter to prescribers on antimicrobial prescribing and use, staff presentations and fact sheets on psychotropic medicines and antimicrobials.
Also included are fact sheets for GPs, medical specialists and aged care staff on changes to HMR/RMMR rules (including referral and follow-ups), QUM Plan template and Sample QUM.
These guidelines have been developed with funding provided by the Australian Government Department of Health and can be found at: http://www.psa.org.au/mmg.
