Monitored medicines reporting requirements
Under the Medicines and Poisons Act 2019 and Medicines and Poisons (Medicines) Regulation 2021, all health practitioners dispensing monitored medicines (other than those practising in public sector hospitals) must make their monitored medicine dispensing records in dispensing software connected to a Prescription Exchange Service (PES) to ensure these records are uploaded into QScript in real-time.
About Prescription Exchange Services (PES)
Connecting your clinical software to a Prescription Exchange Service (PES) allows the automatic upload of monitored medicine prescribing and dispensing data into QScript.
In Australia, there are currently 2 PES systems in operation, eRx Script Exchange and MediSecure. Approximately 95% of all community pharmacies in Queensland are already connected to a PES.
Contact your software vendor for more information about connecting to a PES or contact a PES provider:
- MediSecure - 1800 472 747
- eRx Script Exchange - 1300 700 921.
Submitting monitored medicines dispensing data
If a pharmacist’s or dispensing medical practitioner’s dispensing software is connected to a PES, the submission of monitored medicines dispensing data requires no additional actions beyond the usual dispensing process. When the dispensing record is made in the dispensing software, it will automatically upload to QScript in real-time.
If a pharmacist’s or dispensing medical practitioner’s dispensing software is not connected to a PES, it must be connected within one month of the commencement of the Act. This does not apply to dispensers practising in public sector hospitals.
Pharmacists and dispensing medical practitioners must continue to retain the physical prescription for 2 years, as per current practice.
There is no requirement for prescribers to use clinical software connected to a PES, although it is highly encouraged, as this will ensure more complete patient information is captured in QScript.
Queensland Opioid Treatment Program
Queensland Opioid Treatment Program written instructions no longer exist under the Medicines and Poisons Act 2019 and are now prescriptions. All health practitioners dispensing Queensland Opioid TreatmentQOTP Medicines (other than those practising in public sector hospitals) are required to submit these dispensing records to QScript electronically via a PES, along with all other dispensing records for monitored medicines prescriptions.
Contact the Queensland Opioid Treatment Program at QOTP@health.qld.gov.au for further advice.
Medicinal cannabis reporting
All health practitioners dispensing S8 medicinal cannabis (other than those practising in public sector hospitals) are required to submit these dispensing records to QScript electronically via a PES, along with all other dispensing records for monitored medicines prescriptions.
Related information
Contacts
Monitored Medicines Unit at MMU@health.qld.gov.au.