Optometrist PBS prescribing

PREPARATIONS WHICH MAY BE PRESCRIBED BY AUTHORISED OPTOMETRISTS

Optometrists accredited to prescribe under State or Territory legislation can apply for approval as PBS prescribers (authorised optometrists).  Information for optometrists on becoming a PBS prescriber is available from Services Australia.

The medications listed for prescribing by authorised optometrists are identified by 'OP' in the PBS Schedule.  Optometrists must not write PBS prescriptions for any other medicines listed on the PBS.

The Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) is responsible for making recommendations to the Minister of Health regarding preparations for prescribing by authorised optometrists.

Some products are included in more than one section of the Schedule, and for more than one prescriber type.  For a prescription to be eligible for subsidy, prescribers must ensure that they prescribe under the PBS only those medicines, and in accordance with the restrictions, listed for their practitioner type.

Optometrist PBS prescriptions are identifiable by colour, and include the words ‘PBS/RPBS optometrist’. Prescriptions must include the optometrist’s PBS prescriber number. The same optometrist prescription form is used to prescribe unrestricted, restricted or authority items. Only one item is allowed per form. Optometrist PBS prescriptions may include repeats. 

Regulation 24 does not apply for optometrist prescribing. An optometrist cannot direct that original and repeat supplies of pharmaceutical benefits be supplied at the one time.

Authority prescriptions: Authority prescriptions for authority required items, or for increased quantities or repeats, require prior approval from Services Australia or the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) for each prescription.  (Refer to Prescribing Medicines — Information for PBS prescribers and Supplying Medicines — What Pharmacists Need to Know, for more information on authority prescriptions.) DVA approval for non-Schedule items is not available for optometrist prescribing.

RPBS: Optometrists approved as PBS prescribers may write prescriptions for supply under the RPBS.  The medicines available for prescribing by authorised optometrists under the RPBS are the same as those available under the PBS.  There are no optometrist listings in the Repatriation Schedule for prescribing for veterans only.  There is no provision for optometrist prescribers to request approval to prescribe items that are not included in the PBS Schedule (non-Schedule items).  

State and Territory requirements: Optometrists may prescribe medications as private prescriptions according to their State/Territory prescribing accreditation. The medicines which can be prescribed differ between States and Territories. It is the optometrist’s responsibility to ensure adherence to State/Territory law for all prescriptions (PBS and private) and additionally to all PBS requirements for PBS/RPBS prescriptions.