❓ A WA parliamentary question regarding the availability and cost of Tamsulosin (Flowmaxtra) at public hospitals, particularly Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, for pensioners and other patients, and the circumstances under which access might be restricted.
AnsweredQoN 6455Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
(1) Can you confirm that Tamsulosin (Flowmaxtra) is prescribed for prostatectomy; is Tamsulosin (Flowmaxtra) available through Sir Charles Gardiner Hospital pharmacy at $5.60 for a 30 tablet prescription?
(2) If not what is the cost of a Tamsulosin (Flowmaxtra) 30 tablet prescription from Sir Charles Gardiner Hospital?
(3) What is the cost of a Tamsulosin (Flowmaxtra) 30 tablet prescription from other public hospital pharmacies?
(4) What is the cost of Tamsulosin (Flowmaxtra) for an aged pensioner, with a health concession card who is eligible for safety net payment ceiling from public hospital pharmacies?
(5) What is the cost of Tamsulosin (Flowmaxtra) for an aged pensioner, with a health concession card who is eligible for safety net payment ceiling in pharmacies outside the public hospital system (i.e. general market rate)?
(6) If a patient accesses Tamsulosin (Flowmaxtra) from Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital (SCGH) or other public hospital pharmacies under what circumstances can they be advised that they can no longer purchase the prescribed medicine for prostatectomy from the public hospital pharmacy?
(7) If a patient accesses Tamsulosin (Flowmaxtra) from Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital and has been told they can no longer purchase the prescribed medicine for prostatectomy from the public hospital pharmacy how can the patient appeal that advice?
(8) If an aged pensioner with a health concession card who is eligible for safety net payment ceiling can no longer access Tamsulosin (Flowmaxtra) from public hospital pharmacies such as at SCGH where can the person purchase Flowmaxtra at the subsidised rate?
(9) If a person can no longer access Tamsulsoin (Flowmaxtra) from public hospital pharmacies such as at SCGH where can the person purchase Flowmaxtra at the subsidised rate available at public hospital pharmacies?
(10) How many people access the subsidised rate of Flowmaxtra through Western Australian state health system sources?
(2) If not what is the cost of a Tamsulosin (Flowmaxtra) 30 tablet prescription from Sir Charles Gardiner Hospital?
(3) What is the cost of a Tamsulosin (Flowmaxtra) 30 tablet prescription from other public hospital pharmacies?
(4) What is the cost of Tamsulosin (Flowmaxtra) for an aged pensioner, with a health concession card who is eligible for safety net payment ceiling from public hospital pharmacies?
(5) What is the cost of Tamsulosin (Flowmaxtra) for an aged pensioner, with a health concession card who is eligible for safety net payment ceiling in pharmacies outside the public hospital system (i.e. general market rate)?
(6) If a patient accesses Tamsulosin (Flowmaxtra) from Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital (SCGH) or other public hospital pharmacies under what circumstances can they be advised that they can no longer purchase the prescribed medicine for prostatectomy from the public hospital pharmacy?
(7) If a patient accesses Tamsulosin (Flowmaxtra) from Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital and has been told they can no longer purchase the prescribed medicine for prostatectomy from the public hospital pharmacy how can the patient appeal that advice?
(8) If an aged pensioner with a health concession card who is eligible for safety net payment ceiling can no longer access Tamsulosin (Flowmaxtra) from public hospital pharmacies such as at SCGH where can the person purchase Flowmaxtra at the subsidised rate?
(9) If a person can no longer access Tamsulsoin (Flowmaxtra) from public hospital pharmacies such as at SCGH where can the person purchase Flowmaxtra at the subsidised rate available at public hospital pharmacies?
(10) How many people access the subsidised rate of Flowmaxtra through Western Australian state health system sources?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
24 November 2011
Responded by
Minister for Health
Response time
23 days
(1 - 2) This drug is listed on the Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital formulary for the "treatment of lower urinary tract syndrome, bladder outflow obstruction due to benign prostatic hyperplasia or detrusor bladder neck dyssynergia. It may be used as second line therapy ONLY in patients who do not tolerate prazosin. It does not have prostatectomy as an indication for its use. The cost to a general patient is $27.40 and for a pensioner $5.60 for a pack of 30.
(3) The cost at other public hospitals if the drug is on the formulary would be the same as answer to question (1).
(4) $5.60 per 30 tablets.
(5) If the patient is not eligible for the Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (RPBS), then it would cost between $70 to $90 for a pack of 30.
(6) If a patient no longer had the condition for which the drug is approved for use they may no longer be prescribed the drug. Pharmacy would only reject/refuse to dispense a prescription if it did not meet regulatory requirements or clinical requirements. The SCGH pharmacy only dispenses drugs for prescriptions written by SCGH doctors for current SCGH patients.
(7) The patient should discuss their clinical situation with their doctor.
(8 - 9) This drug is not available for subsidy outside a public hospital unless the patient satisfies the RPBS criteria.
(10) Only one report has been run and that covers just one month at Sir Charles Gairdner, Royal Perth and Fremantle Hospitals.
Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital - 335 patients.
Fremantle Hospital - 76 patients.
Royal Perth Hospital - 27 patients.
These patient numbers are made on the assumption that each patient only gets one month's supply at each dispensing. In reality a patient may be given up to 3 months' therapy at any one time, so these figures would be the maximum patient numbers.
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(3) The cost at other public hospitals if the drug is on the formulary would be the same as answer to question (1).
(4) $5.60 per 30 tablets.
(5) If the patient is not eligible for the Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (RPBS), then it would cost between $70 to $90 for a pack of 30.
(6) If a patient no longer had the condition for which the drug is approved for use they may no longer be prescribed the drug. Pharmacy would only reject/refuse to dispense a prescription if it did not meet regulatory requirements or clinical requirements. The SCGH pharmacy only dispenses drugs for prescriptions written by SCGH doctors for current SCGH patients.
(7) The patient should discuss their clinical situation with their doctor.
(8 - 9) This drug is not available for subsidy outside a public hospital unless the patient satisfies the RPBS criteria.
(10) Only one report has been run and that covers just one month at Sir Charles Gairdner, Royal Perth and Fremantle Hospitals.
Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital - 335 patients.
Fremantle Hospital - 76 patients.
Royal Perth Hospital - 27 patients.
These patient numbers are made on the assumption that each patient only gets one month's supply at each dispensing. In reality a patient may be given up to 3 months' therapy at any one time, so these figures would be the maximum patient numbers.
Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
http://www.rtlib.com
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