CPD eLearning courses
We offer two eLearning courses about prescribing which cover:
There is also a webinar, Prescribing perils, which is additional CPD training about prescribing drugs of dependence, real time prescription monitoring and TGA updates.
Our accredited eLearning courses are free for members.
Prescribing drugs of dependency
Real time prescription monitoring (RTPM) provides risk mitigation for doctors prescribing drugs of dependence. In some states/territories it is mandatory to check the RTPM before prescribing drugs of dependence and some other drugs. Avant recommends all doctors check every time.
Our member experience shows that some doctors believe that seeing a green, amber or red alert in their practice software is the same as checking their RTPM. It is not. You must click on the alert to go through to the RTPM.
Doctors may also need PBS authority, and approval from the relevant state or territory health department for some patients (see ‘Prescribing drugs of dependence’ factsheet).
Avant factsheets, articles and case studies
Prescribing drugs of dependence
Identifying drug seekers and doctor shopping behaviours
Claims insights: opioid prescribing-related claims
Webinar
Ask the expert – prescribing, advertising and artificial intelligence (coming soon)
Real time prescription monitoring in the states and territories
NSW – SafeScript NSW – not mandatory but strongly encouraged – monitored medicines
Victoria – SafeScript – mandatory – monitored medicines
Queensland – QScript – mandatory – monitored medicines
South Australia – ScriptCheckSA – mandatory – monitored medicines
Western Australia – ScriptCheckWA – not mandatory but strongly encouraged – monitored medicines
Tasmania – DORA/TasScript – not mandatory but required to take reasonable steps to check before prescribing – monitored medicines
Northern Territory – NTScript – mandatory – monitored medicines
Australian Capital Territory – Canberra Script – not mandatory but strongly encouraged – monitored medicines
Prescribing for yourself, family, friends or those you work with
Good medical practice: a code of conduct for doctors in Australia says, ‘Good medical practice involves … not self-prescribing’. It also states:
Whenever possible, avoid providing medical care to anyone with whom you have a close personal relationship. In most cases, providing care to close friends, those you work with and family members is inappropriate because of the lack of objectivity, possible discontinuity of care, and risks to the patient and doctor. In particular, medical practitioners must not prescribe Schedule 8, psychotropic medication and/or drugs of dependence or perform elective surgery (such as cosmetic surgery), to anyone with whom they have a close personal relationship.
Your state or territory legislation may also further prohibit prescribing for yourself, family, friends or those you work with.
Avant factsheets, articles and case studies
Treating family members, friends or staff
‘But it’s just a script’: prescribing requests from family and friends
Case study: doctor disqualification for long-term self-prescribing
Case study: GP’s long-term prescribing for family leads to professional misconduct finding
Case study: GP disqualified after overdose death of de-facto partner
Case study: doctor sanctioned for self-prescribing revealed after car accident
Other prescribing challenges
Analysis of our claims involving prescribing show that doctors also have difficulty with issues such as record-keeping requirements, communication issues in prescribing, overprescribing and off-label prescribing.
Avant factsheets, articles and case studies
Claims insights: medication-related claims
Prescribing off-label (coming soon)
Other resources