Opioids, prescriptions and approvals in the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) 012-20101406

Most opioids are dual listed on both the General (S85) Schedule and the Palliative Care Schedule.

For opioids listed on the Palliative Care Schedule:

• Prescribers can apply for PLC opioids by:
• phone
• prescriber self-serve through Online PBS Authorities (OPA) System using HPOS
• written application, either by post or HPOS Form Upload
• Palliative care opioids have different restriction criteria
• For palliative care patients only:
• palliative care nurse practitioners can conduct the opioid review
• a review is not required if it is not possible due to the patient’s condition

To help prescribers with written requests a Palliative Care Schedule - opioid treatment authority application form (PB306) is available

For opioids listed on the General (S85) Schedule:

• prescribers are not required to give the details of the reviewing professional who completed the annual pain management review
• each drug has 3 restrictions to choose from, based on the patient’s treatment phase and length of treatment:
• Initial after 1 June 2020 where opioid treatment is less than 12 months
• Initial after 1 June 2020 where opioid treatment is greater than 12 months
• Continuing the drug after 1 June 2020

The General (S85) Schedule - opioid treatment authority application form (PB294) is available to help prescribers to submit written opioid prescriptions for approval.

Pain Management reviews are only required if a patient has been receiving PBS and Non-PBS opioid pain treatment longer than 12 months.

Streamlined authority items for listed quantities do not require opioid reviews.

Reviewing professionals that can conduct pain management reviews are:

• an Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra) registered:
• medical practitioner (Doctor), or
• palliative care nurse practitioner, for Palliative care patients only
• prescriber calling for an authority request can be the reviewing doctor if they are not the patient’s regular practitioner

Pain management reviews can be completed via a Telehealth consult.

For information listed on Opioid dependence treatment (ODT), see Highly Specialised Drugs (HSD) Program.

For details on how to process a phone or written authority request, see Processing new Authority requests in the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).