Unapproved pharma signs
March 6, 2012
PHARMACIES not approved to
dispense pharmaceutical benefits will
now have their unapproved status
displayed for customers, according
to the Pharmacy Board of Australia.
The move, which is being funded
by the Pharmaceutical Benefits
Division of the Department of
Health and Ageing, will force
unapproved pharmacies to display
signage which marks out their status.
In addition unapproved pharmacies
will have to make Medicare
Australia funded information
leaflets available to their patients.
The leaflets will explain how
patients may be affected by not
having access to the Pharmaceutical
Benefits Scheme by frequenting
unapproved pharmacies.
“Any supply arrangements which
infringe on patient rights or put the
patient at risk and which may result
in a poor health outcome (for instance
by not providing an opportunity for
adequate communication of
essential information between
patient and pharmacist), may be
grounds for investigation and
action by the Board under the
National Law,” the Board said.
MEANWHILE, the Board has also
announced that it will consult on an
amendment to the Code of conduct
for registered health practitioners
which will be published shortly for
comment.
“The Board will seek feedback on
whether the code of conduct
should include an amendment (the
addition of a paragraph) which
addresses the relevance of codes of
ethics to pharmacists in practice,”
the Board said.
“The Board will not consult on
the current content of the Code of
conduct for registered health
practitioners during this
consultation period as it will be
reviewing this document by June
2013,” the Board added.
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