North Brighton Medical is now able to send patients electronic presciptions (also known as eScripts) under a new initiative of the Australian government in conjunction with the states and territories.
Please note that eScripts are only available for patients with a Medicare card (or a DVA card), or patients that have an Individual Healthcare Identifies (IHI). Patients who don’t have Medicare or DVA can apply to obtain an IHI here - once you have your IHI, you can let us know what it is so we can add it to your record, and then we can send eScripts to you.
HOW IT WORKS
If you need a presciption, then during your consultation (especially if you have a phone consult), your GP will be able to SMS or email you a link to a QR or barcode token.
This means that you won’t need a paper script, as all of the information about your script (including your name, medication, dosage, etc) will be stored electronically via the token.
Instead, you simply take your smartphone to a local pharmacy (provided that they have eScripts enabled, which most do - see list below), and they will scan the token and then fill your prescription.
This avoids the need for patients to collect a paper prescription for their medications. It also saves us time and paper, as our GP no longer needs to print and sign paper prescriptions, and our reception staff don’t have to store the scripts for collection, and they don’t need to fax, email or post scripts to pharmacies.
Next time you need a script during a consult, your GP will offer you an eScript, and they can explain how it works if you have any queries.
PAPER SCRIPTS
If you prefer to collect a paper script from us, you are welcome to do so. However, note that we will be phasing out the faxing, emailing or posting scripts to pharmacies over the next few weeks, so if you don’t want an eScript you will need to collect a paper script from us (unless exceptional circumstances apply, such as a disability or emergency).
REPEATS AND ONGOING MEDICATIONS
Any repeats for a prescription issued with an initial eScript will also be electronic. When you fill the initial eScript, the pharmacy will issue you with a new token for your next repeat - you will need to keep the new token for the next time you need the medicine.
There are aps available to assist you with storing your tokens for repeats, such as eRx.or MedAdvisor. These aps also allow you to submit your script to a pharmacy from the ap, so when you arrive at the pharmacy your medications are ready for collection.
In future, patients with several ongoing medications will be able to share their Active Script List (ASL) with their pharmacy to make managing prescirptions even easier.
MORE INFORMATION
More information about eScripts is available on the government website.
Pharmacies in Brighton that accept eScripts include:
iCare Gardenvale (126 Martin St, Brighton)
Terry White North Brighton Pharamcy (326 Bay St, Brighton)
Brighton Bay Pharmacy (259 Bay St, Brighton)
National Pharmacy Brighton (2 Church St, Brighton)
Brighton Community Pharmacy (formerly Quality Church St) (2/72 Church St, Brighton)
Brighton Health Pharmacy (formerly Quality Brighton) (33 Church St, Brighton)
Dendy Village Pharmacy (752 Hampton St, Brighton)
Bayside Pharmacy (602 Hampton St, Brighton)
Simon Kenny Pharmacy (127 Were St, Brighton)
Pharmacies in nearby suburbs that accept eScripts include:
Chemist Warehouse in Balaclava, Bentleigh, Cheltenham, Elsternwick, Elwood, Mentone and Moorabbin (but not Chemist Warehouse Brighton)
Amcal Beaumaris (Seaview), Sanrdingham and Mordialloc
Chesterville Advantage in East Bentleigh
Roth’s Medisave in Elwood
Hampton Pharmacy
Ramsay Pharmacy in Highett
If your local pharmacy doesn’t accept eScripts yet, tell them they should get on board! In the meantime, you can collect paper scripts from our reception, or you can try a different pharmacy that does accept eScripts.
If your pharmacy is in Brighton or a nearby suburb and accepts eScripts, but isn’t on the list above, let us know and we’ll add it.