Insights Categories: Compliance

The Paramedicine Board of Australia has released draft registrations standards for public consultation. Now is the time for paramedics and other key stakeholders, including the public, to have their say about the standards that will govern registration when it commences later this year. The Paramedicine Board is accepting feedback on the draft registration standards until […]

The Victorian government has introduced a suite of legislative amendments in the form of the Health Legislation Amendment (Quality Safety) Act 2017, to help improve healthcare quality and safety across the state in both the public and private sectors. The amendments were triggered by recommendations made by Dr Stephen Duckett in his report titled “Targeting […]

The Medical Board of Australia has announced the implementation of a new Professional Performance Framework that will apply to registered medical practitioners in Australia. The Board proposes to introduce performance processes for practitioners with a record of multiple substantiated complaints against their registration, as well as for practitioners over 70 years of age. Australia does […]

The case scenario: A complaint was made to the Pharmacy Board of Australia (‘Board’) that a pharmacist provided an excessive quantity of Restavit, a Schedule 3 poison, and for a duration for which there was no established therapeutic need. The pharmacist explained to the Board that he had supplied the drug as he believed it was […]

The use and licensing of radiology equipment in South Australia is controlled and managed by the South Australia Environment Protection Authority (EPA), which administers the Radiation Protection and Control Act 1982 and the Radiation Protection and Control (Ionising Radiation) Regulations 2015. The EPA’s Radiation Protection Branch deals with radiology equipment within healthcare, which includes regulating […]

Since at least 2012 there has been an increasing push in Australia for the implementation of a national real-time prescription monitoring system that alerts doctors and pharmacists to people who are misusing prescription drugs. More than 20 Coronial Inquests in New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia alone have recommended a real-time prescription monitoring system […]

Meridian Lawyers acts for pharmacists in applications for new approvals to supply pharmaceutical benefits (PBS) under section 90 of the National Health Act 1953 (Cth) (Act). We also advise and represent pharmacists in opposing applications for new approvals, whether by way of judicial review by the Court, or merits reviews by the Administrative Appeals Tribunal. […]

Late last year, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) issued three infringement notices to an online pharmacy retailer totalling $32,400 for representing to consumers that there were savings on recommended retail prices. Facts The retailer represented that, by purchasing a range of white label products online through the retailer’s website, consumers would save a […]

The revised suite of Guidelines issued by the Pharmacy Board of Australia (National Board) came into force on 7 December 2015. It is important that employee and locum pharmacists are aware of the revised Guidelines for Proprietor Pharmacists. The reason for this is twofold: first, it is important to have a working knowledge of how the […]

A dental scenario: A dental assistant, at the dentist’s direction, supplied an anxious patient with Serepax (oxazepam) prior to surgical extraction of a tooth. An entry was made in the electronic records that Serapax had been given including details of date and time the medication was provided. However, the dental assistant who entered the notes […]

Dental scenario: A patient raised concerns about his smile during a routine consultation with his general dentist. He wanted to improve the alignment of his front teeth and to have his upper central incisors moved inwards. He had seen advertising regarding some proprietary fast-tracked orthodontic treatments and enquired about options. The practitioner discussed the option […]