What you need to know about extended prescriptions
The Government has recently changed the law on how long we can prescribe medications to someone. The previous limit was three months, but extended prescriptions mean that,
where appropriate, some patients may be able to get up to 12 months of medication on a single prescription. This is mainly for people with stable, long‑term conditions, to reduce
the cost and inconvenience of repeat appointments on your daily life.
This isn’t suitable for all patients and all medications. Your prescriber (GP or Nurse Practitioner) is responsible for deciding what is appropriate to ensure your wellbeing. It also
isn’t applied automatically; you will need to discuss it with us at your next routine appointment.
What isn’t changing?
● Pharmacies will continue to dispense your medicines in three-month doses at a time, even if your prescription is for longer.
● The usual prescription co‑payment remains the same (usually $5), and you won’t be charged for repeats at the pharmacy. There are no changes to who qualifies for
prescription fee exemptions or subsidy schemes.
● You will still need at least an annual review with a clinician for all your long‑term medicines, or more often if your health or test results change.
Who and what is excluded?
There are legal limitations on who we can offer extended prescriptions to. The following patients may not be able to access extended prescriptions:
● Children, teenagers, people with cognitive impairment, pregnant patients or older
adults (80+), as closer monitoring is usually required.
● People recently discharged from hospital or who have had medication changes made by a specialist.
● People who receive medicines in blister packs, are on multiple medications, or have unstable conditions.
● People who often miss appointments or repeats, or collect their prescriptions irregularly.
Certain medicines are excluded from extended prescriptions:
● Controlled drugs (by law, these can still only be prescribed monthly).
● High‑risk medicines such as blood thinners, lithium, methotrexate, insulin, and opioids.
● Medicines that need frequent blood tests or close monitoring.
● New medicines or medicines where your dose has been changed recently.
In some situations, your prescription will be limited to three months, for example:
● If you miss a recall or review appointment.
● If mixing different prescription lengths would be confusing for you or your pharmacy.
● If your usual GP or Nurse Practitioner is away (unless clearly documented in your records).
What you need to do:
● Extended prescriptions aren’t put in place automatically – you can discuss it at your next in-person appointment with your usual GP or Nurse Practitioner.
● Keep attending your regular check‑ups and complete any blood tests or monitoring your clinician requests, as these help us determine if extended prescribing is safe for you.
● Pay attention to repeat notifications from your pharmacy, as you’ll still need to visit them every three months to pick up your medication.
● Talk with our team if your circumstances change (such as hospital admission, pregnancy, or new symptoms). If there are any concerns about your health, your test results, or how you are taking your medicines, your GP may shorten the prescription period.
