1698 – Chronic Pain MedsCheck Trial

The 6CPA provided funding to support a Pharmacy Trial Program (PTP), which seeks to improve clinical outcomes for patients and/or utilise the full scope of a pharmacist’s role in delivering primary health care services.

The outcomes of all PTP Trials will undergo an independent Health Technology Assessment (HTA) to determine the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the trial intervention and inform decisions about any broader rollout. A decision to fund any future programs would be a matter for Government.

Go to the Department of Health website to view:

• information on the PTP
• the assessment report for this application.

The Chronic Pain MedsCheck Trial assessed the effectiveness of a pharmacist-led, patient-centred service to support patients that are taking medication to manage chronic pain, and that are identified as experiencing self-management or pain medication dependency issues.

The trial compared two service models of review, assessment and support; one model had two clinical consultations and the second model had three clinical consultations.

Type: Therapeutic technology

The trial recruited participants who:

• attended a community pharmacy
• were over the age of 18
• held a valid Medicare card and/or Department of Veterans’ Affairs card
• were living at home in a community setting
• had suffered from chronic pain for three months or longer
• had not had a Home Medicines Review, MedsCheck, Diabetes MedsCheck or Chronic Pain MedsCheck within the previous 12 months
• had been taking medication (prescription or over the counter) for their pain
• were identified by a community pharmacist as either experiencing self-management or dependency issues, and
• were not a current client of a recognised Pain Management Service.

• PASC consultation: Not applicable
• MSAC consultation: Closed Friday 10 June 2022

• PASC meeting: Bypassed PASC
• ESC meeting: 9–10 June 2022
• MSAC meeting: 28–29 July 2022