Consultation: Amendments to the Medicines and Poisons Regulations 2016 and the Schedule 8 Medicines Prescribing Code

Overview

The key focus of this consultation is to obtain stakeholder feedback on the preferred options for regulation of prescribing of medicines monitored via Western Australia’s real time prescription monitoring system, ScriptCheckWA.

The introduction of ScriptCheckWA will mean prescribers and pharmacists have greater and more timely access to information about their patient’s treatment with medicines in Schedule 8 (S8, controlled drugs).

ScriptCheckWA can also be used to monitor the prescribing and dispensing of certain higher risk Schedule 4 (S4, prescription only) medicines.

Please read the Discussion Paper: Amendments to the Medicines and Poisons Regulations 2016 and the Schedule 8 Medicines Prescribing Code. The discussion paper outlines a number of recommendations for changes to the Regulations and the Prescribing Code relating to:

• Addition of certain S4 medicines to the list of medicines monitored through ScriptCheckWA
• Regulation of the prescribing of medicines monitored via ScriptCheckWA
• Use of ScriptCheckWA by health practitioners

As the Schedule 8 Medicines Prescribing Code (the Prescribing Code) is referenced by the Regulations, prescribers must adhere to the requirements of the Prescribing Code. The proposed changes to the Prescribing Code will flow on from the proposed changes to the Regulations.

How to provide a submission

If you haven’t already, we invite you to read the Discussion Paper: Amendments to the Medicines and Poisons Regulations 2016 and the Schedule 8 Medicines Prescribing Code and then answer questions on the different sections of the Discussion Paper.

You can answer all the questions or just a few. The only mandatory questions are some of those in the 'About you' section.

You can make a written submission to the Department, which can be in addition to or instead of completing the online questions. Written submissions must be received by the Department by 7 October 2022. Submissions can be:

• Emailed to MPRB@health.wa.gov.au or
• Mailed to:        
  • Medicines and Poisons Regulation Branch 
  • Department of Health WA
  • PO Box 8172
  • PERTH BUSINESS CENTRE WA 6849

Publication of submission

You have three choices on how we treat your submission (answers to questions online or written submission):

• Publish with your name and/or organisation
• Publish anonymously
• Do not publish (confidential submission)

The first question of the section “About you” asks you to indicate your choice.

If you are making a written submission, please ensure you indicate how we should treat your submission on the front page of the submission.

Why your views matter

Your views will help us identify issues relating to the proposed changes to the Medicines and Poisons Regulations 2016 and the Schedule 8 Medicines Prescribing Code.

The information gathered from this consultation will be used in determining which options are taken forward when amending the Regulations and the Prescribing Code.