Health and Community Services
May 19, 2016
Protecting Health and Well-Being
New Course Promotes Safe Prescribing
The Honourable John Haggie, Minister of Health and Community Services, today announced that a new safe prescribing course is being developed for health care professionals in Newfoundland and Labrador. The course is being developed in partnership with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Newfoundland and Labrador (CPSNL) and Memorial University�s Faculty of Medicine.
�We are taking concrete action to address the abuse and misuse of prescription drugs in Newfoundland and Labrador. It has become a significant issue in our province and across Canada. This new training tool comes at the recommendation of our multi-stakeholder advisory committee on prescription monitoring, which has identified increased education as a keystone to reduce inappropriate prescribing of certain targeted medications.�
- The Honourable John Haggie, Minister of Health and Community Services
The new course will offer focused instruction on safe and appropriate prescribing practices for opioids, stimulants and benzodiazepines.
�We want to ensure that no matter where they received their medical education, new physicians in Newfoundland and Labrador start their practice with the most up-to-date information possible on safe and appropriate prescribing. That�s why the college will make the course mandatory for all new physicians seeking a licence to practise in the province. It is also why we have partnered with the Office of Professional Development at the Faculty of Medicine to bring their expertise to this project.�
- Dr. Linda Inkpen, Registrar, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Newfoundland and Labrador
The course will be mandatory for all new physicians seeking a license in the province, and will also be available to other health care provider groups, such as nurse practitioners, dentists and pharmacists. It will be made available online through MDcme.ca, a nationally accredited online portal for continuing medical education.
�Memorial�s Faculty of Medicine is dedicated to the province of Newfoundland and Labrador to educate physicians and promote lifelong learning that will make our communities healthier. We look forward to offering this new training opportunity to our students and practicing physicians throughout our province to help increase the responsible distribution of medications.�
- Dr. James Rourke, Dean of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University
The anticipated course launch date is January 2017.
QUICK FACTS
- A new safe prescribing course is being developed for health care professionals in Newfoundland and Labrador.
- The new course will offer focused instruction on safe prescribing practices for commonly abused and misused prescription medications in Canada.
- The course has been developed in partnership with Memorial University�s Faculty of Medicine and the CPSNL.
- The course will be made available online through MDcme.ca, a nationally accredited online portal for continuing medical education, will be mandatory for all new physicians seeking a license in the province, and will also be available to other health care provider groups such as nurse practitioners, dentists and pharmacists.
- The course is anticipated to be available in January 2017.
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Media contacts:
| Tina Williams Director of Communications Department of Health and Community Services 709-729-1377, 728-2837 tinawilliams@gov.nl.ca |
Edward Hollett Director of Communications College of Physicians and Surgeons of Newfoundland and Labrador 709-726-8546 ext. 232, 691-3072 EHollett@cpsnl.ca |
| Virginia Middleton Communications Coordinator Memorial University Faculty of Medicine 709-864-6363, 725-8157 vmiddleton@mun.ca |
2016 05 19 3:45 p.m.