Pharmacy Daily | Continued Dispensing soon

GUILD President Kos Sclavos has confirmed that the start date for the Continued Dispensing element of the Fifth Community Pharmacy Agreement will be 01 Sep this year. That means that pharmacists will be able to supply “eligible PBS medicines to a customer when there is an immediate need for the medicine, but it is not practical for the customer to get a prescription”. Initially scheduled for 01 Jul last year, it’s now been confirmed that commencement of Continued Dispensing will now take place from Sep, after a delay to allow state and territory legislation to be enacted. Sclavos told PD that 01 Sep will be the start date, with associated dispensary software changes and payments under the new process. “If, however, a state or territory legislation is not ready by that date the Guild Branch will notify pharmacists in that state,” he said. “With the majority of states and territories ready we will no longer wait for a laggard [jurisdiction]”. The provision initially applies to oral hormonal contraceptives for systemic use and lipid modifying agents, specifically statins. Pharmacists will be able to supply medicine under the initiative when the medicine has been prescribed before, the customer’s therapy is stable, there is an ongoing need for the medicine, and there has been prior clinical review by the prescriber that supports continuation of the medicine. Pharmacists will need to comply with PSA guidelines for continued dispensing, with a number of provisos including that it can only be used once in a 12 month period per customer per medicine, and pharmacists must advise the most recent prescriber in writing within 24 hours that the medicine has been supplied.

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