Transfer of Schedule 8 prescription repeats

Authorising transfer

Transfer of prescription repeats is allowed when approved by the Department of Health.

Transfers will be considered where there is a significant barrier to the patient continuing to access their medicines. Situations where transfers may be approved include:

• moving from a metropolitan area to a rural area, or vice versa
• moving between two rural areas
• special services required (compounding, dose packing)
• extenuating personal circumstances (e.g. custody changes for children).

Temporary transfers may be approved on a case-by-case basis.

Requesting a transfer

Requests to transfer should be made in writing using the Application for inter-pharmacy transfer of Schedule 8 prescription form (Word 829KB). The completed form should be faxed or emailed to the Medicines and Poisons Regulation Branch.

The reason for transfer must be provided and a pharmacy must be nominated to receive the repeats.

Transferring the prescription

Repeat prescriptions may not be returned to the patient. The repeats should be posted to the new pharmacy and the pharmacy alerted to expect the transfer.

Interstate transfers

Transfers of prescriptions to a receiving pharmacy in another State or Territory can be approved. This includes interstate patients travelling temporarily to WA who require S8 prescriptions dispensed.

There are different requirements for the prescribing of S8 medicines between jurisdictions and not all prescriptions may be honoured in other States and Territories without the correct local approvals.