Facilitating use of the NPS benzodiazepine audit in South Australia
Health professionals within the mixed rural and urban Southern Division of General Practice (SDGP) in South Australia are dedicated to QUM. Benzodiazepine usage has been a focus within the region since 1999.(1)
The Quality Use of Medicines (QUM) and Aged Care programs at SDGP facilitate a regional medication advisory committee (MAC). Members include representatives from all six residential aged care facilities (RACFs), accredited and supply pharmacists, and General Practitioners (GPs) within the rural area of SDGP.
Strategies to improve appropriate use of benzodiazepines in RACFs need to involve consultation with all stake holders, multidisciplinary activities, residents and their families. The National Prescribing Service (NPS) benzodiazepine drug usage evaluation (DUE) kit is designed to assist with identifying opportunities and strategies to improve the appropriateness of hypnotic use within RACFs.
Following endorsement from MAC members in June 2005, a benzodiazepine DUE was obtained and distributed to all aged care facilities and pharmacists. Follow up occurred December 2005 when the full kit was found to be daunting primarily due to its large size.
The aged care and QUM facilitator then liaised with individual pharmacists and facilities with distribution of individual sections, instructions, offers of assistance and requesting an agreed timeline for data collection. Distribution of the individual sections encouraged “getting started”.
Commitment has been given for DUE data collection by all facilities to be complete by 27 March 2006. Data collection is complete for three out of six facilities (data collection at two by accredited pharmacists, one by aged care staff).
Collation and evaluation of data by aged care and QUM facilitators are fed back to the individual facilities and to the MAC as de-identified data.
In summary, regional endorsement and assistance with the steps involved has facilitated the undertaking of the NPS benzodiazepine DUE.
1. Dollman W, LeBlanc V et al. Achieving a sustained reduction in benzodiazepine use through implementation of an area-wide multi-strategic approach. J Clin Pharm and Ther (2005),30:425-432.