Commonwealth Consolidated Regulations

NATIONAL HEALTH (PHARMACEUTICAL BENEFITS) REGULATIONS 1960 - REG 26A

         (1)   Where a prescription contains a direction to supply more than 1 pharmaceutical benefit, the approved pharmacist, approved medical practitioner or approved hospital authority to whom the prescription is presented may, at the request of the person for whom the prescription is written, defer the supply of one or more of the pharmaceutical benefits.

         (2)   An approved pharmacist, approved medical practitioner or approved hospital authority that defers the supply of a pharmaceutical benefit must:

                (a)    prepare a deferred supply authorisation, on and in accordance with a form (including a paper-based or an electronic form) authorised by the Secretary, in respect of each pharmaceutical benefit the deferral of the supply of which is requested; and

               (b)    mark on the deferred supply authorisation prepared by him the number allotted to his or her approval under regulation 8A; and

                (c)    if the prescription is a paper-based prescription:

                          (i)    mark on the original and duplicate of the prescription, across the wording relating to the pharmaceutical benefit the supply of which is being deferred, the words 'original supply deferred'; and

                         (ii)    attach the deferred supply authorisation prepared by the pharmacist, medical practitioner or hospital authority to the pharmacist/patient copy; and

                        (iii)    give the authorisation and pharmacist/patient copy to the person for whom the prescription is written at the same time as the benefit on the original prescription is supplied; and

               (d)    if the prescription is an electronic prescription:

                          (i)    mark on the prescription, in relation to the pharmaceutical benefit the supply of which is being deferred, the words 'original supply deferred'; and

                         (ii)    attach or link, by electronic means, the deferred supply authorisation prepared by the pharmacist, medical practitioner or hospital authority to the prescription; and

                        (iii)    give a print-out of the deferred supply authorisation and prescription to the person to whom the pharmaceutical benefit is supplied or ensure that the deferred supply authorisation and prescription are accessible by that person.

         (3)   Where an approved hospital authority defers the supply of a pharmaceutical benefit in the circumstance set out in subregulation (1), the authority shall cause the requirements of subregulation (2) to be complied with by the medical practitioner or pharmacist by whom, or under whose direct supervision, the other pharmaceutical benefit to which the prescription refers is supplied.