Annotated prescriptions
November 1, 2011
PHARMACISTS in New Zealand
are now able to annotate a
prescription where they have
evidence that a patient is eligible
for a subsidy via a specialist’s
recommendation, without
requiring a counter signature or
endorsement from the prescriber,
following changes announced by
PHARMAC to the General Rules in
the Pharmaceutical Schedule.
In addition, where the pharmacy
has an electronic record of an
endorsement from a previous
prescription written by the same
prescriber, the pharmacist now
may also annotate the prescription
accordingly.
Annotations can only occur when
it is not practicable to dispense the
medicine prescribed, and any
annotation would not be able to
override any other Schedule
restriction.
The rule change is designed to
allow pharmacists to provide a
funded product when an out-ofstock
issue occurs for a particular
drug, without requiring the
prescriber’s signature or
notification from PHARMAC.
The changes have been
welcomed by the Pharmacy Guild
of New Zealand, which said that
they would reduce some of the
administrative requirements for
pharmacists and practitioners.
“The changes are common sense
ones,” said NZ Guild Chief
Executive, Annabel Young.
“As a rule, pharmacists are
methodical and thorough professional
people who have their patients’
best interest very much in mind.
“They will take maximum care in
ensuring that the medicine
dispensed is suitable and
appropriate,” she added.
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