Safety notices, alerts and information
Our selection of resources and safety statements provide guidance and information on the safe and quality use of medicines.
Position and safety statements
Position and safety statement are developed in response to reported incidents and events related to specific medicines. They include safety advice and recommendations to help manage those medicines.
- Topical application of chlorhexidine and the risks of accidental injection in regional anaesthesia and vascular access procedures. Includes recommendations consistent with our National standard for user-applied labelling of injectable medicines, fluids and lines.
- Neuraxial connectors and ISO 80369-6:2016 and ISO 80369-6:2016 neural connector devices to reduce misconnection errors - Guidelines for implementation in Australia was introduced with the aim of reducing the injection of erroneous substances via intrathecal, epidural and other neural routes.
- Safety statement on metered dose inhalers recommends established metered dose inhalers are prescribed and communicated by the metered dose, even if the product is labelled with additional information on the delivered dose.
- Paediatric prescribing position statement promotes best practice in prescribing, dispensing and administering of medicines for paediatric patients.
Fact sheets and reports
- Preventing harm from phenol in medical imaging - Guidance on the storage and management of concentrated 80% phenol in Australian clinical settings, other than podiatry.
- Documenting oxygen therapy and response for safety - Guidance on processes to support appropriate documentation around the administration, and monitoring of oxygen therapy for adults in acute healthcare settings.
Evidence briefs
These briefs summarise the evidence on the effectiveness of safety interventions that aim to improve medication administration.
- Evidence Briefings – Double-checking medication administration
- Evidence Briefings – Reducing interruptions during medication prescribing, preparation and administration
- Evidence Briefings – Electronic medication administration records
- Evidence Briefings – Closed-loop medication management systems
- Evidence Briefings – Electronic prescribing systems and their impact on patient safety in hospitals
- Evidence Briefings – Scanning medication administration systems
Guiding principles
The Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing has updated the national guiding principles to improve the quality and safety of medication management for all Australians. The updated guiding principles align with Australia’s National Medicines Policy.
The guiding principles are available in the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing’s National Medicines Policy resources collection.
They include guiding principles for: