The Using Medicines for Better Health Project 

In September 2023, the Quality Use of Medicines Alliance was awarded two grants to support consumer health literacy and improve the use of medicines in Australia. With peak health and consumer organisations working together over a two-year period, until August 2025, the grants will help address priority quality use of medicines issues for:

• atopic dermatitis (commonly known as eczema)
• gout
• antidepressants in older people
• oral anticoagulants

These are four health areas where we want to increase consumer awareness and access to evidence-based health information.

The Grants – Consumer Health Literacy and Health Professional Education

Under the Australian Government’s Quality Use of Diagnostics, Therapeutics and Pathology (QUDTP) program, the two grants were awarded to develop free educational activities and resources on the above-mentioned four health topics for a national audience of health professionals and consumers.

The Consumer Health Literacy grant is led by HCCA and aims to ensure the resources developed for both health consumers and professionals reflect consumers’ needs and perspectives. Along with this effort, the Health Professional Education grant is led by Medcast Pty Ltd and aims to create a comprehensive suite of interactive learning activities and resources for health professionals based on up-to-date evidence-based information.

The Quality Use of Medicines Alliance

The Quality Use of Medicines Alliance (QUMA) is a consortium of eight health and consumer organisations, of which the Health Care Consumers’ Association (HCCA) is a member, and consists of:

• Medcast: a nationwide provider of independent education for a range of health professions.
• Health Care Consumers’ Association: a peak health consumer organisation working to improve the quality and safety of health care.
• Arthritis Australia: the leading national arthritis charity supporting people living with all types of arthritis.
• Eczema Support Australia: a national support network advocating for people living with eczema.
• Pharmaceutical Society of Australia: the national peak professional pharmacy body representing Australia’s 36,000 pharmacists across all sectors and specialisations.
• QUM Connect: a specialist consultancy with experience and expertise in creating and implementing quality use of medicines initiatives to improve health outcomes.
• Royal Australian College of General Practitioners: Australia’s largest professional general practice organisation responsible for maintaining standards for quality clinical practice, education and training, and research in Australian general practice.
• Wiser Healthcare: a research collaboration involving the University of Sydney, Bond University, Monash University and the University of Wollongong, with a special interest in research in the areas of rational test ordering and quality use of medicines.

The QUMA will align their work across the two grants, collaborate with a wide range of health and consumer organisations, and bring together unique expertise from:

• researchers,
• health professional colleges,
• peak bodies,
• member organisations,
• education providers, and
• consumer groups.