Tuesday, 8 September 2026

 Rachel PAYNE (South-Eastern Metropolitan) (12:21): (1464) My question is for the Minister for Health, Minister Stitt. Last week I attended the SHARC and Penington Institute’s International Overdose Awareness Day event. Victoria recently recorded its highest number of overdose-related deaths, with most being accidental overdoses. SafeScript was implemented in April 2019 to prevent accidental overdose caused by polypharmacy, such as with opioids and benzodiazepines. While SafeScript plays an important preventative role, there has been limited public health education to ensure Victorians understand the risks associated with high-risk medications. The Victorian government ran a six-month public awareness campaign when SafeScript was launched. However, more needs to be done to ensure Victorians are informed about the potential harms of these medications, including the risk of accidental overdose. Will the minister consider a statewide public health campaign to ensure Victorians are educated about the safe use of prescription medications and to help prevent accidental overdose?

 Ingrid STITT (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Health, Minister for Mental Health, Minister for Ambulance Services, Special Minister of State) (12:22): I thank Ms Payne for her question. I also had the privilege to attend that event, and it was a very moving event. I want to acknowledge that every single life that is lost to overdose is a tragedy not only for that individual but for their loved ones and for the communities that they live in, so of course it is important that we continue to look at ways that we can get ahead of some of the drug harms that are occurring. We know, for example, that the illicit drug market and indeed the way in which some medications are prescribed are causing significant harm for some individuals in the community. We do take a deliberate health-led approach to these challenges. We have funded, as Ms Payne would be aware, the statewide action plan to reduce harm and to minimise drug overdose. It is important work that is also being considered carefully by the AOD ministerial advisory committee that I have established to advise the government on the best ways that we can continue to reduce drug harm and minimise lives lost to overdose.

In relation to SafeScript, obviously that is important software that does provide doctors and pharmacists with that comprehensive history of the high-risk medicines that have been prescribed to an individual and helps them make better decisions about the care of their patients in real time. We know that these particular protections are having an impact. There is also the coroner’s report into overdose deaths between 2015 and 2024, and they have also acknowledged the importance of the SafeScript scheme in helping to reduce the proportion of overdose deaths that involve pharmaceutical opioids.

Of course there is always more to do, and I am very open to continuing to work with members of this chamber but also with our AOD sector to make sure that we are reducing the risk and increasing the education in the community about some of the emerging risks we are seeing, including synthetic opioids and the like. That is work that I take very seriously as part of my mental health ministerial responsibilities.

 Rachel PAYNE (South-Eastern Metropolitan) (12:25): I thank the minister for her response. Alarmingly, this year’s report showed that people aged between 50 and 59 years make up the highest proportion of unintentional deaths due to overdose, at 25.5 per cent. Victorians over 50 are more likely to have multiple health conditions, requiring medications for sleep, pain and anxiety, and are at a higher risk of accidental overdose. So would the minister consider a targeted public health campaign for Victorians on recognising the signs of overdose, particularly for populations most at risk, such as the over-50s cohort?

 Ingrid STITT (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Health, Minister for Mental Health, Minister for Ambulance Services, Special Minister of State) (12:26): I am very happy to take that on notice, Ms Payne, and get a little bit of advice from my department, including from the chief addiction officer, which is another initiative of the statewide action plan. He is doing great work with the AOD sector on these very issues. I am very happy to take that on notice and come back to you with a little bit more information.