Award for quality use of medicines in pain management

The winner of the 2011 Award , Western Australian pharmacist Penny Tuffin, with Carolyn Winkler from Mundipharma at PAC11

This award is to recognise a PSA member who is making an outstanding contribution to the quality use of medicines through direct clinical care in consumers with persistent pain.

The recipient of the 2012 PSA Award for QUM in Pain Management will receive registration fees, travel and accommodation to attend PAC12, and ConPharm 2012, to the value of $6,500. This has been supported by an educational grant from Mundipharma.

Applications close: 1 May 2012

Background

‘One in five Australians, including children and adolescents, will suffer chronic pain in their lifetime and up to 80 per cent of people living with chronic pain are missing out on treatment that could improve their health and quality of life.’ – National Pain Strategy, March 2010

Medicines are one component of the management of pain. Quality use of medicines is an area pharmacists can have significant impact and, as described in the National Medicines Policy, requires:

• selecting management options wisely;
• choosing suitable medicines if a medicine is considered necessary; and
• using medicines safely and effectively.

‘The practice of pharmacy includes the custody, preparation, dispensing and provision of medicines, together with systems and information to assure quality of use.

As readily accessible health professionals, pharmacists provide primary health care including education and advice to promote good health and to reduce the incidence of illness.

A sound pharmaceutical knowledge base, effective problem-solving, organisational, communication and interpersonal skills, together with an ethical and professional attitude, are essential to the practice of pharmacy.’ – National Competency Standards Framework for Pharmacists in Australia 2010

Award Criteria

The recipient of this award will be a pharmacist who systematically and consistently works with consumers with persistent pain to optimise their health and wellbeing.

The pharmacist’s contribution may be in one or more of the following practice areas:

• Non-prescription medicines and therapeutic devices
• Dispensing
• Medication review
• Disease state management

Nominations will be adjudicated against a selection of the goals of the National Pain Strategy. As such, applicants should describe how strategies they have implemented in their area of practice contribute to achieving one or more of these key goals.

Goal 1: People in pain as a national health priority

For example, applicants may like to describe how they have contributed to:

• Recognition of the critical role of adequate management of acute pain in minimising the rate at which acute pain progresses to chronic pain
• De-stigmatising the predicament of people with pain, especially chronic non-cancer pain, through development of a community awareness campaign and training for health professionals and insurers

Goal 2: Knowledgeable, empowered and supported consumers

For example, applicants may like to describe how they have contributed to:

• Consumers and their carers having the knowledge and confidence to seek appropriate advice, education and/or treatment to enable them to better manage their pain.

Goal 3: Skilled professionals and best-practice evidence-based care

For example, applicants may like to describe:

• The CPD they have participated in to upskill themselves in the area of pain management
• The education and training they have provided to other health care professionals and pharmacy staff in the area of pain management
• The tools and resources they have used to ensure best-practice, evidence-based care is provided.

Goal 4: Access to interdisciplinary care at all levels

For example, applicants may like to describe:

• The treatment pathways they promote to consumers with pain
• The formal and informal collaboration with other health care providers in providing coordinated care and support to consumers with pain.

Goal 5: Quality improvement and evaluation

For example, applicants may like to describe:

• The quality improvement processes in place for the professional service being provided, including routine recording of interventions, evaluation and feedback.

How to apply

To apply, download the application form from the link below.

Applicants should consider the relevant Professional Practice Standards for their nominated practice area(s) when developing their application

They should also refer to the National Pain Strategy, which can be downloaded from www.painsummit.org.au/strategy/Strategy-NPS.pdf

QUM-award-application (180.4 KiB)