Process telephone Authority approval application 012-63020020

The Mainframe system can only be used by staff:

• who are proficient, and
• have Mainframe access

The Mainframe system is only to be used in the following scenarios:

• processing 'balance of supply' telephone authority approvals for Growth Hormone items for paediatric patients
• special approval entries by Pharmaceutical Advisers from authority provided by PBS Listings (via Health)

If there is a system outage, follow the process in Handle system outages in Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).

For the process for telephone Authority approval applications via the OPA System, please refer to Online Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) Authorities System (OPA System).

A sensitive issue can arise when an approved prescriber is required to provide the medical condition/indication being treated over the phone in the presence of their patient. This may create embarrassment or make the patient uneasy.

Examples of medication that can cause sensitive situations for the approved prescriber or the patient may include medicines for the treatment of:

• cancer
• mental illness, for example schizophrenia
• infectious conditions, for example genital herpes

The following guidelines are intended to minimise the sensitivity for approved prescribers stating medical conditions/indications in the presence of their patient.

Where an approved prescriber suggests that they are unwilling to state the indication over the phone, Service Officers can prompt the approved prescriber with the indication and ask the approved prescriber to confirm with a simple 'Yes' or 'No' response.

It is up to Service Officers to exercise their judgement when processing these applications.

An approved prescriber can obtain telephone approval for an authority item by telephoning Services Australia.

An approved prescriber may request a telephone approval for an increased quantity and/or repeats of a streamlined authority item by telephoning Services Australia.

The Process page, Table 1 contains procedures to follow when an approved prescriber requests approval of a streamlined authority item.