The Commission is concerned for older people and people with disability in all settings where psychotropic medicines are being prescribed inappropriately as a form of restrictive practice to control behaviour, off-label and for extended periods without review.
The Commission has undertaken a number of initiatives to reduce inappropriate use of psychotropic medicines.
A patient having surgery or a procedure is prescribed antimicrobial prophylaxis in accordance with the current Therapeutic Guidelines or evidence-based, locally endorsed guidelines. This includes recommendations about the need for prophylaxis, choice of antimicrobial, dose, route and timing of administration, and duration.
A patient prescribed an antimicrobial has regular clinical review of their therapy, with the frequency of review dependent on patient acuity and risk factors. The need for ongoing antimicrobial use, appropriate microbial spectrum of activity, dose, frequency and route of administration are assessed and adjusted accordingly. Investigation results are reviewed promptly when they are reported.
When a patient is prescribed an antimicrobial, the indication, active ingredient, dose, frequency and route of administration, and the intended duration or review plan are documented in the patient’s healthcare record.
A patient with an infection, or at risk of an infection, is provided with information about their condition and treatment options in a way that they can understand. If antimicrobials are prescribed, information on how to use them, when to stop, potential side effects and a review plan is discussed with the patient.
A patient with a suspected infection has appropriate samples taken for microbiology testing as clinically indicated, preferably before starting antimicrobial therapy.
When an adverse reaction (including an allergy) to an antimicrobial is reported by a patient or recorded in their healthcare record, the active ingredient(s), date, nature and severity of the reaction are assessed and documented. This enables the most appropriate antimicrobial to be used when required.
When a patient is prescribed an antimicrobial, this is done in accordance with the current Therapeutic Guidelines or evidence-based, locally endorsed guidelines and the antimicrobial formulary.
A patient with a life-threatening condition due to a suspected infection receives an appropriate antimicrobial immediately, without waiting for the results of investigations.
The Antimicrobial Stewardship Clinical Care Standard includes eight quality statements describing the key components of care that patients can expect when they have, or are suspected of having, an infection.
Healthcare variation – why does it happen and what can we do about it? Our online Better Care Everywhere: Healthcare variation in practice program series will answer these questions and more in the first program of its kind dedicated to reducing unwarranted variation in clinical care across Australia.
This series is part of the Commission's wider Better Care Everywhere initiative which brings together the wide range of guidance, tools and resources developed by the Commission to provide a comprehensive approach to appropriate and sustainable health care.
