A WA parliamentary question regarding the dispensing of prescriptions under Commonwealth regulations for visitors to the Pilbara region, specifically addressing issues with Regulation 24 and 25, and a case involving Peter Joynes. The Minister deflects most questions to the Federal Minister for Health.

AnsweredQoN 480Legislative Assembly
Asked
10 August 2000
Portfolio
Health

QuestionView source ↗

In relation to prescriptions for people visiting the Pilbara, I ask - (a) when a prescription is written out that mentions Regulation 24, does that mean that all repeats can be collected together; (b) if the repeats are not collected at the first visit to the chemist, does this void the instruction of Regulation 24 for the repeats; (c) is Regulation 25 designed to allow chemists to dispense more medication than authorised in the scenario described in (b) above; (d) in the matter of Peter Joynes, when the script did mention Regulation 24 and the chemist refused to issue more than one repeat - (i) did your department instruct the pharmacy via telephone to issue all repeats; and (ii) if yes, why was the instruction ignored; and (e) why is there no Health Department representative in the Pilbara that can intervene on behalf of the visiting public when these disputes occur? Answered on 13 September 2000 The Minister

AnswerView source ↗

Answered
13 September 2000
Response time
34 days
I understand that Regulation 24 and Regulation 25 to which you have referred are part of the Commonwealth National Health (Pharmaceutical Benefits) Regulations 1960 and concerns the funding of medicines through the Pharmaceutical Benefit Scheme. For a definitive answer your questions should be referred to Dr Wooldridge, the Federal Minister for Health and Aged Care. However I am advised the following (a) Yes. (b) No. (c) No. (d) I have no information in the matter concerning Peter Joynes and am unable to provide any advice on parts (i) and (ii) of the question. (e) I am unable to provide any advice on this question and it should be referred to Dr Wooldridge, the Federal Minister for Health and Aged Care.
(b) if the repeats are not collected at the first visit to the chemist, does this void the instruction of Regulation 24 for the repeats; (c) is Regulation 25 designed to allow chemists to dispense more medication than authorised in the scenario described in (b) above; (d) in the matter of Peter Joynes, when the script did mention Regulation 24 and the chemist refused to issue more than one repeat - (i) did your department instruct the pharmacy via telephone to issue all repeats; and (ii) if yes, why was the instruction ignored; and (e) why is there no Health Department representative in the Pilbara that can intervene on behalf of the visiting public when these disputes occur?
(c) is Regulation 25 designed to allow chemists to dispense more medication than authorised in the scenario described in (b) above; (d) in the matter of Peter Joynes, when the script did mention Regulation 24 and the chemist refused to issue more than one repeat - (i) did your department instruct the pharmacy via telephone to issue all repeats; and (ii) if yes, why was the instruction ignored; and (e) why is there no Health Department representative in the Pilbara that can intervene on behalf of the visiting public when these disputes occur?
(d) in the matter of Peter Joynes, when the script did mention Regulation 24 and the chemist refused to issue more than one repeat - (i) did your department instruct the pharmacy via telephone to issue all repeats; and (ii) if yes, why was the instruction ignored; and (e) why is there no Health Department representative in the Pilbara that can intervene on behalf of the visiting public when these disputes occur?
(ii) if yes, why was the instruction ignored; and

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