A pharmacist in NSW cannot legally dispense a prescription for psychostimulant medication unless the prescription bears an authority number issued by the NSW Ministry of Health.
This requirement is regardless of which state or territory a prescription is issued in.
Mid North Coast pharmacist David Craddock said he had received scripts from GPs without the required authority several times recently.
An authority from the NSW Ministry of Health is required to prescribe or supply dexamfetamine, lisdexamfetamine (Vyvanse®), or methylphenidate (Concerta®, Ritalin®, Ritalin LA®). This is separate to the authority required from Medicare Australia for a patient to receive a PBS-subsidised medicine.
More information on prescribing psychostimulants for children and adults, including applications for authority to prescribe, are available here.