Quality use of Medicines
140,000 visits to hospitals each year are medicines related, many due to a lack of information about the Quality Use of Medicines. COTA (NSW), in partnership with the National Prescribing Service Limited, delivers three Quality Use of Medicines peer education programs.
Quality Use of Medicines aim to promote healthy ageing through increased awareness of how to get better results from medicines, how to avoid mix-ups and where to access reliable information.
Brand Name or Generic: Choosing Wisely sessions aim to educate consumers about generic medicines and how to make the choice between brand name and generic.
More Than Medicines - Living Well sessions centre on being an active partner in managing your health; lifestyle changes; assessing medical information; and adherence to treatment. Prior to having this session presented, groups must have completed the Quality Use of Medicines and Brand Name or Generic: Choosing Wisely sessions as pre-requisites.
Informative, interactive sessions on either of these topics, delivered by trained Peer Educators are available free of charge to seniors groups, clubs and organisations.
The focus of these sessions is on learning about medicines - the options available, where to go for information, support and what sort of questions you should be asking. The sessions aim to enable consumers to make informed choices.
Key Messages:
- Good health and Quality Use of Medicines go hand in hand
- Senior Australians can enhance their health and wellbeing by becoming active partners in their medicines management through communication with doctors and pharmacists
- Generic medicines have the same active ingredients as the original brand name medicines
- In Australia all prescriptions medicines, including generic medicines must meet the same stringent Government quality standards
Please click here if you would like to Book a Session for your club, organisation or group or Contact Us for more information.