A move to go back to patients signing paper PBS scripts has been quashed by Health Minister Mark Butler.
In his address to the APP conference on the Gold Coast, Minister Butler told pharmacists the move “will not be happening”.
“That goes precisely in the wrong direction,” he said.
Removing the need for a patient’s signature and allowing pharmacists to sign Patient Record Forms on their behalf was brought in as a measure during COVID 19.
It was due to expire on March 31 meaning from April, the old system of needing a patient to sign a paper script would return.
“I don’t want to go back to what we had three years ago,” Minister Butler said.
The announcement received spontaneous applause at the conference and was immediately welcomed by the Pharmacy Guild.
“The announcement by the Minister is a common sense one, which recognises the advances in scripts and pharmacy procedures,” a spokesperson for the Guild said.
“This is a win-win for patients and the health system.”
