Approved medical practitioner
About Medical Practitioner approvals
Approval may be granted to a medical practitioner to supply PBS subsidised medicines in a particular rural/remote area where the community doesn't have convenient and efficient access to PBS subsidised medicines from a pharmacy.
The medical practitioner needs to be practicing medicine in the area for which approval is being sought and hold a current registration with the relevant State or Territory medical board.
The medical practitioner must be willing to supply PBS medicines to any person in that area who presents with a valid PBS prescription.
The approval of a medical practitioner is granted in accordance with section 92 of the National Health Act 1953
(the Act) (ComLaw website - Attorney General's Department).
It is important to know that an approval granted to a medical practitioner in respect of a particular area will be cancelled if a pharmacy opens in that area. Refer section 98 (4) of the National Health Act 1953 (the Act) (ComLaw website - Attorney General's Department).
A medical practitioner will need to submit an application for approval under s92 of the National Health Act 1953 (the Act).
The following information needs to be included with an application.
Temporary approval of a medical practitioner
Locum for an existing approved medical practitioner
Where an approved medical practitioner is going on leave and a locum medical practitioner is employed to work in the medical practice to cover the period of leave:
- The approved medical practitioner can allow the locum medical practitioner to supply PBS medicines on their behalf (that is, under the approved medical practitioner's approval number);
- The approved medical practitioner must sign the PBS claim form, which includes a declaration that items were supplied by them or on their behalf;
- The payment of PBS benefits will be made to the approved medical practitioner's nominated bank account. If the locum medical practitioner wants to have the payment of PBS benefits made to their own bank account then they will need to apply for their own approval under section 92 of the National Health Act 1953 (the Act) Form 4133 [PDF, 58Kb]
; and - The locum medical practitioner can use the existing approved medical practitioner's prescription forms, crossing-out the existing prescriber's details and replacing them with their own, or use interim supply (un-personalised) prescription forms. In either case, the locum medical practitioner must hand write their prescriber details on the prescription form.
The approval of a medical practitioner is granted in accordance with section 92 of the National Health Act 1953 (ComLaw website - Attorney General's Department).
No permanent approved medical practitioner
Approval may be granted to a medical practitioner to supply PBS subsidised medicines in a particular rural/remote area where the community doesn't have convenient and efficient access to PBS subsidised medicines from a pharmacy
Where there is no permanent medical practitioner approved to supply PBS medicines in a particular area and a medical practitioner is employed to practice in that area for a temporary period they can apply using Form 4133 [PDF, 58Kb] for approval to supply pharmaceutical benefits under section 92 of the Act for the period they are employed to practice in the area (must be a specific period of time).
The medical practitioner needs to be practicing medicine in the area for which approval is being sought and hold a current registration with the relevant State or Territory medical board.
The medical practitioner must be willing to supply PBS medicines to any person in that area who presents a valid PBS prescription.
Relocation of a medical practitioner
If a medical practitioner relocates to a new area then a separate application is required in respect of the new area, as there is no provision to relocate a section 92 approval.
Forms/references
- Form 4133 - Application for temporary approval to supply pharmaceutical benefits by a registered medical practitioner [PDF, 58Kb]
- Form 4034 - Application for approval to supply pharmaceutical benefits by a registered medical practitioner [PDF, 67Kb]
- National Health Act 1953 (ComLaw website - Attorney General's Department).
- Information for applicants - Approval of Medical Practitioners to supply Pharmaceutical Benefits [PDF, 162Kb]
Additional information
For additional information and enquiries, please see Become an approved supplier.
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Last updated: 21 January, 2009