Information for general practitioners working in evacuation centres

Role of GPs

Emergency access to prescription medicines in disaster-affected area

Information for general practitioners working in evacuation centres
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Emergency access to prescription medicines in disaster-affected area

Federal and state/territory arrangements are in place to allow patients continued access to their essential PBS/RPBS medicines if they are affected by a natural disaster or emergency.

Although the following may vary between disasters, usual arrangements include:

  • that in most states and territories, patients can access a three-day supply of most medicines without a prescription from a pharmacist
  • ‘owing prescriptions’, whereby a pharmacist can dispense a medicine on confirmation from the prescribing GP, noting that the prescription must be received by the pharmacy within 7 days
  • ‘continued dispensing’ of previously dispensed medicines where there is an immediate need for the medicine and the PBS prescriber is not contactable.

Further information on these arrangements is available on the PBS website.

This event attracts CPD points and can be self recorded

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