Pharmacy Guild of Australia National President, Trent Twomey, has welcomed extension of Digital Image Prescriptions from end September to end December 2021.
Digital Image Prescriptions have been an option providing Australians with prompt access to their PBS medicines during COVID and allowing timely claiming by pharmacies. This has been particularly valuable when people have been in lockdown, as well as part of prescriber telehealth arrangements.
It means that all Commonwealth COVID PBS arrangements will continue to the end of December 2021 – Digital Image Prescriptions, expanded Continued Dispensing, prescription signature exemptions and the home delivery service.
The Commonwealth extension to Digital Image Prescriptions does require enablement under state and territory laws and Guild Branches will be providing further updates to members for their jurisdiction.
Mr Twomey said the system of SMS costs for electronic prescriptions has also been extended until June 2022 and this too has been welcomed by the Guild.
Electronic prescribing was fast-tracked as part of the rapid development of a COVID-19 National Health Plan.
