Continued Dispensing starts
September 2, 2013
Pharmacists in South
Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and
Western Australia now have an
additional option for the urgent
supply of eligible PBS medicines
in the absence of a prescription,
after the required legislation to
implement Continued Dispensing
was enacted in those jurisdictions.
The move was foreshadowed by
Guild President Kos Sclavos earlier
this year (PD 01 May), with the
01 Sep 2013 start date mooted to
allow all states to implement the
required legislative changes.
However at this stage authorities
in NSW, the ACT, Queensland
and the NT are still reviewing the
legislation, and until it is changed
Continued Dispensing is not an
urgent supply for pharmacies in
these states and territories.
Continued Dispensing allows the
supply of a standard PBS quantity
of an eligible medicine to a patient
under certain conditions:
▪ when there is an immediate need
for the medicine to continue
▪ when it is not practicable to
obtain a prescription
▪ when continuation of the
medicine is supported by a history
of ongoing therapy and clinical
review in the past 12 months; and
▪ when the medicine is safe and
appropriate for the patient.
The initiative aims to maintain
patient adherence to a therapy,
by preventing interruption to
treatment when a patient is not
able to obtain a timely prescription
renewal.
Continued Dispensing supply is
limited to one occasion per patient
during a 12 month period (per
medicine).
Acting PSA president Joe Demarte
said Continued Dispensing does
not replace emergency supply
provisions already in place, but
provides a further option for
pharmacists.
Continued Dispensing is currently
limited to standard PBS packs of
oral contraceptives and statins
(HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors),
with the Guild and the PSA working
with the Department of Health and
Ageing to develop the initiative.
Under the system, pharmacists
will apply professional judgement
consistent with professional
guidelines and protocols to manage
any risks associated with supply of
these medicines without a script.
Professional guidelines covering
Continued Dispensing, along with
a Practice Tool and scenarios for
pharmacists, are now available
online at www.psa.org.au.
Sclavos said “Continued
Dispensing is a win-win for patients
and pharmacists, with patients
having access to urgent supply of
PBS medicines, and pharmacists no
longer stuck with broken packs or
waiting for prescriptions in order to
claim for payment”.
The arrangements will see
patients pay the relevant PBS
co-payment, and pharmacists can
claim the normal subsidies as part
of their routine PBS claim.
Pharmacists are urged to
familiarise themselves with the
relevant legislation and guidelines
before undertaking Continued
Dispensing, and use the Practice
Tool to record decisions relating to
requests for the urgent supply of
prescription medicines under the
initiative.
Pharmacy dispensing software will
be updated to enable the recording
and claiming for Continued
Dispensing supply using the PBS
Repeat Form.
More information about
Continued Dispensing is now
available at www.5cpa.com.au.
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