Schedule 8 Medicines Prescribing Code

Background
The Poisons Regulations 1965 require medical and nurse practitioners to obtain prior written
authorisation from the Department of Health before prescribing Schedule 8 (S8) medicines for:

a patient whose details correspond with a registered drug addict

a period longer than 60 days (or more than 60 days in any 12 month period)

flunitrazepam.

The Department has developed a Schedule 8 Medicines Prescribing Code (the Code) to guide
prescribers when applying for authorisation to prescribe S8 medicines.

Why a prescribing code?

The Code is a new initiative that takes a risk based approach to the regulation of S8 medicine
prescribing. It is intended to assist and support medical and nurse practitioners in meeting
legislative requirements and contribute towards best practice prescribing of S8 medicines.

What is new?

High risk criteria

When any high risk criteria in the Code are met, consultant support is required before the
Departments authorisation will be considered. Authorisations are issued for a maximum of
one year.

Low risk criteria

When all low risk criteria of the Code are met, consultant support is not required.
Authorisations are issued for a maximum of three years.

When does the Code come into effect?

The Code will be applied to all new authorisations from 1 January 2013. A transition period will
operate to allow sufficient time for review of those patients with existing authorisations which
are high risk under the Code and consultant support has not been received within the last
three years.

Further information
The Code is available at www.health.wa.gov.au/s8
The Department of Health, Pharmaceutical Services Branch, can be contacted by phone on
(08) 9222 4424, Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 4.30pm.

Pharmaceutical Services Branch

Version 20130531AG-1