Key messages
- Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) changes commencing from 1 July 2023 have introduced additional prescribing requirements.
- From 1 July, patients pay the usual co-payment for the supply of pharmacotherapies (usually for up to 28 days’ supply) and the amount paid contributes towards their PBS safety net threshold.
- From 1 July 2023, pharmacists cannot charge patients additional private dispensing or dosing fees for the supply of pharmacotherapy under the PBS
- Several additional resources have been created and/or updated.
Victoria's current policy for maintenance pharmacotherapy for opioid dependence was updated and revised in 2016 .
The Department of Health provided a number of additional resources to complement the revised policy. Pharmacotherapy providers are encouraged to use these resources when prescribing or dispensing to people on opioid replacement therapy. All are available from the Downloads section on this page. Four of these resources are available in a number of community languages.
Features of a Victorian pharmacotherapy prescription
Features of a Victorian pharmacotherapy prescription is an information sheet that has been prepared to support Victorian prescribers by clarifying the mandatory requirements for legal prescribing of pharmacotherapy medicines from 1 July 2023, following changes made to how these medicines are listed in the PBS.
Checklist for assessing appropriateness of take-away doses
The misuse of take-away doses by patients or others who have gained access to another person's take-away doses has contributed to a number of deaths in Victoria. The supply of take-away doses is a significant clinical decision that requires thorough consideration of the risks and benefits. The Checklist for assessing appropriateness of take-away doses is an assessment tool for prescribers when they are reviewing a patient to assess the appropriateness of take-away doses. Pharmacists may also use this assessment tool to provide treatment updates to the prescriber.
Patient agreement forms for methadone and buprenorphine/naloxone take-away doses
Prescribers and pharmacists should consider a written agreement for take-away doses so the patient is fully aware of the structure and responsibilities of receiving take-away doses.
There are patient agreement forms for methadone and buprenorphine/naloxone take-away doses.
These two forms are also available in a number of community languages in the Health Translations Directory.
Patient agreement form: buprenorphine and naloxone take-away
Patient agreement form: methadone take-away
Starting methadone or buprenorphine information sheet
Starting methadone or buprenorphine is an information sheet for people starting pharmacotherapy. This information sheet provides advice about the risks of unsupervised drug and alcohol use, outlines the symptoms of overdose and contains information about naloxone injection.
This information sheet is also available in a number of community languages in the Health Translations .
Methadone treatment in Victoria user information booklet
Methadone treatment in Victoria is an information booklet for people who take methadone to manage opioid dependence. The booklet provides information on the drug methadone, the Victorian opioid pharmacotherapy system, methadone overdose and naloxone injections.
This booklet is available in a number of community languages in the Health Translations .
Pharmacotherapy resources order form
Pharmacotherapy providers may use this order form to order hard-copy resources.
Reviewed 06 November 2023