Media Releases
New service helps people take medicines safely
The Federal Minister for Health and Ageing, Senator Kay Patterson said today, people who take several kinds of medications will get support from doctors and pharmacists to help them take their medicines safely.
In this section:
- $1.09 million to investigate better ways to care for the dying
- $1.3 million for new Lifeline services in rural Australia
- $1.7 million for better understanding of healthy ageing
- $1.84 million boost to young researchers in Victoria
- $1.96 million boost to young researchers in Queensland
- $118 million boost to health and medical research in Australia
- $118 million boost to health and medical research in Australia
- $118 million boost to health and medical research in Australia
- $118 million boost to health and medical research in Australia
- $118 million boost to health and medical research in Australia
- $118 million boost to health and medical research in Australia
- $2.1 million for NSW rural specialist health
- $2.47 million boost to young researchers in the Australian Capital Territory
- $2.5 million for mental health research
- $3.05 million to boost to young researchers in Western Australia
- $7.5 million for Broken Hill University Department of Rural Health
- $7.5 million for Geraldton Rural Health Education Centre
- $790,000 for Victorian rural specialist health
- Access to international research for all Australians
- Access to international research for all Australians
- Airlift of Bali casualties completed
- Another $1.1 million for medical specialist services in rural NSW
- Another step forward for remote health in Alice Springs
- Applications for rural nursing re-entry scholarships close 27 September 2002
- Asthma Friendly Schools Program. How to manage asthma in all Australian schools
- Australia and Europe to research HPV link to skin cancer
- Australia and the USA join forces in a $10 million quest to develop a vaccine against juvenile diabetes
- Australian Capital Territory to receive more than $7 million in research funding
- Australian families face tax hike of up to $1200 a year
- Australian organ donor register passes one million mark
- Australians could gain an extra six years life expectancy with renewed efforts in health: World Health Report
- Australians encouraged to comment on new health privacy safeguards
- Better after hours medical services for Sunshine Coast
- Boost to national and international health research efforts
- Coorperation is the key to improved services to cancer patients
- Discrimination against people with HIV/AIDS still an issue in Australia
- Doctors' paperwork under microscope
- Doctors must justify any fee rises to cover medical indemnity costs
- Enhanced pathology laboratory testing standards to protect public health and safety
- Expert to check blood claims
- Extra funding aims to lower tragic rate of suicide further
- Federal Government approves free national vaccine program to combat Meningococcal disease
- Federal Government commits $13.4 million to improve indigenous access to health care
- Federal Government funds new health projects to tackle chronic disease in Australia
- Federal Government Funds New WA Cancer Scanner
- Federal Government offers WA $500,000 for MRI at PMH
- Federal Minister calls on State Government to indemnify family planning clinics
- Federal suicide prevention funding for South Australia
- Federal suicide prevention funding for the Australian Capital Territory
- First recipients of scholarships in aboriginal health announced: Patterson
- Flu campaign targets fit healthy older Australians
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- Government to reform regulation of private health insurance
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- Green light for HealthConnect trials
- Green light for HealthConnect trials
- Health help for outback Australia–only a call away
- Health insurance to rise by $2.66 a week for average family
- Health Minister urges women to look after their hearts
- Health premiums 30% cheaper under the coalition
- High levels of private health coverage
- High levels of private health coverage maintained
- Improved health care for women in rural Australia
- Increased medical specialist services in the Grampians region
- Increased medical specialist services in the Greater Murray and far West regions
- Increased medical specialist services in the Hunter and Macquarie areas
- Increased medical specialist services to the Hume region of Victoria
- Increased specialist services for people living in rural NSW
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- Joint Statement
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- Media Releases
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- Minister announces review of the role of Divisions of General Practice
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- Minister launches Lymphodema education package
- Minister opens new community care facility at Cobden, Victoria
- Minister Patterson launches major study into links between hormones and depression
- Modest weight loss can help in the battle against obesity
- More Medical Scholarships for Rural Students
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- Moves to boost supplies of products for Bali burns victims
- National listing of Arthritis to give more focus for national action
- National Mental Health Report
- National Palliative Care Week
- National program to fight flu in indigenous communities
- New centres of clinical research excellence in Australia to receive $18 million
- New era in general practice training
- New funding encourages Australian researchers to work with industry
- New guide to help save women's lives through early detection
- New meassure to increase medical workforce
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- New Project to improve the lives of older people with chronic illness
- New Regional Health Service for Northern Grampians communities
- New report highlights importance of data in fight against ovarian cancer
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- New South Wales researchers to receive Federal funding for projects into 'Health Ageing'
- New South Wales to receive more than $35 million in research funding
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- One million children to get Meningococcal C vaccine sooner
- Over five million dollars in funding helps Australian researchers
- Parents warned of the dangers of antibiotics for treatment of colds
- Pathology labs failing to meet standards face public scrutiny
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- Queensland researcher receives Federal funding for research into Neurodegenerative disorders
- Queensland to receive more than $21 million in research funding
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- Tasmania to receive almost half a million dollars in research funding
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- Victoria leads as Centre of Clinic Research Excellence
- Victoria to receive more than $55 million in research funding
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- Western Australia to recieve more than $14 million in research funding
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less in this section22 March 2002
KP21/02
New service helps people take medicines safely
People who take several kinds of medications will get support from doctors and pharmacists to help them take their medicines safely, the Federal Minister for Health and Ageing, Senator Kay Patterson said today.
She announced a new $48 million Federal Government program, the Home Medicines Review.
Senator Patterson said the program was aimed at people using multiple medications, those having difficulties managing their medicines and people who had been recently discharged from hospital and other care.
"People need only to talk to their GP and they will then be referred to a specially-trained and accredited pharmacist. The pharmacist will arrange to visit the patient's home and check how they are using their medicines," she said.
"The pharmacist will then liaise with the doctor on their finding, allowing the doctor to make any necessary changes to medicines or dosages. In this way both the doctor and the pharmacist will ensure that the patient is taking their medicines effectively and safely."
Senator Patterson said providing a Medicare item for the Home Medicine Review program was a major step in collaboration between GPs and pharmacists. The program allows both groups to deliver significantly improved outcomes for people at risk of medication misadventure.
In her report, "The Nature and Extent of Drug Related Hospitalisation in Australia", Dr Libby Roughead, from the University of South Australia, estimated that 80,000 hospital admissions a year were the result of people taking medicines incorrectly. According to the report, the estimated cost was $350 million a year.
Senator Patterson said: "It is crucial that we reduce the number of people being admitted to hospital under these circumstances, and GPs and pharmacists are the key.
"For the first time, Medicare will recognise the value of professional co-operation between GPs and pharmacists in bringing their specific skills and insights to the medication management needs of their patients."
The Federal Government has committed $48 million to the program over the five year life of the Third Community Pharmacy Agreement, with an estimated 213,600 people expected to receive care in that period.
The pharmacists will be funded by the Federal Government and will not charge people.
Media Contact: Randal Markey, Senator Patterson's Office (02) 6277 7220, 0417 694 520
