An online prescription in Australia starts with a live phone consultation with a qualified Australian doctor. You talk through what you take and how you are going. Where it is clinically appropriate, the doctor writes a script and sends it to you electronically. You then fill it at the pharmacy of your choice.
How does an online prescription work?
You book a prescription consultation and pick a time. A doctor calls you and asks about your medication, your history and anything that has changed. If continuing is clinically appropriate, the doctor issues an electronic prescription and sends it to you as a token by SMS or email.
You take that token to a pharmacy. That is the whole flow.
Is a repeat prescription automatic?
No. A repeat is a clinical decision each time. The doctor checks that your medication still suits you, that the dose still fits, and that nothing new has come up. Continuing a script is a fresh judgement every time.
That is the point of the consult. It gives the doctor enough to make a safe call.
What is an electronic prescription, and how do you use it?
An electronic prescription is a script held digitally. You receive a token, usually a QR code by SMS or email. The pharmacy scans it, dispenses your medication, and the token is used up. If your script has repeats, the pharmacy sends you a new token for the next one.
This part trips people up, so it is worth knowing:
- One token covers one dispensing. After each visit, watch for the new token.
- Lost the SMS? Ask the pharmacy that dispensed it to resend the token.
- An Active Script List can hold your scripts in one place. You set it up at a pharmacy, and it saves juggling messages. Ask your pharmacist about it.
- Scripts have an end date. Unused repeats lapse once the script expires, so check the dates on yours.
Which medicines cannot be prescribed this way?
Some medicines carry extra rules under Australian prescribing law. Others need monitoring, tests or a physical examination before anyone can safely continue them. In those cases a doctor will not issue a script over the phone, and will point you towards the right kind of care instead.
Prescribing sits with the treating doctor. If something is not suitable for you, they will say so and talk through the options.
What should you have ready for your consult?
Have the medication packet in front of you if you can. Reading the label beats guessing from memory, and the exact strength matters.
Useful to have on hand:
- the name and strength of what you take, and how often
- how long you have taken it, and when it was last reviewed
- any other medication, supplement or allergy
- any new or changed symptoms since your last script
- the date of your last blood test or review, if you know it
When will a doctor ask for a review or tests first?
Some medication needs checking before it continues. Your doctor may ask for a blood test, a blood pressure reading, or an in-person review. They may recommend a longer consultation rather than a straight repeat.
What one person needs will not match the next.
Where do you fill the script?
Wherever you like. Your electronic script works at any pharmacy in Australia that accepts them, so you can use the one near your home, your work, or wherever is easiest.
Our fee covers the doctor’s time. You fill any prescription at the pharmacy of your choice.
Due for a repeat?
If your medication is stable and your script is running down, you can book a consult and talk it through with a qualified Australian doctor. A prescription is issued only where it is clinically appropriate.
Your history stays in one place, so the next consult builds on the last.
