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‘All- At- Once’ Dispensing Te Wa Kotahi

From 1 October you may be able to pick up most of your prescriptions all-at-once.

For all new prescriptions from 1 October you may be able to pick up most of your medicines from your pharmacy all-at-once (avoiding the need to return for repeat dispensing for up to 90 days). These include most medicines for the treatment of longterm conditions, such as heart disease and arthritis. Some medicines will continue to be dispensed for shorter time periods, usually monthly. These include medicines with safety concerns, such as sleeping pills and some of the stronger painkillers. your prescription. There are usually fully funded versions of each class of subsidised medicine available. You can discuss options with your prescriber. all-at-once. This could be because you: • find it difficult to get to your pharmacy because of personal mobility problems; • live more than 30 minutes from your pharmacy by your usual means of transport; • are moving house to a different locality; • are travelling for an extended period of time.

Will this affect my count for the prescription subsidy card?

No. The card applies to prescription items rather than dispensings. A change in the number of times a medicine is dispensed won’t affect your eligibility for a prescription subsidy card.

Will there be additional costs?

No. Overall there will be no additional costs. You will need to pay the normal charges all at once when you pick up all of your medicines. If you have a Community Services Card you will pay $3. If you don’t have any subsidy card you will need to pay up to $15 (depending on the price and subsidy level of the medicine). There are different fee structures depending on whether you have a Community Services Card, a Prescription Subsidy card or no subsidy card. If your medicine is not fully funded by the government it may have a manufacturer’s surcharge (also called a part-charge). For any prescription medicine dispensed all-at-once you will need to pay this when you pick up

Can my prescriber change the number of times I can pick up my medicines?

In some cases your prescriber will be able to increase the number of times you pick up your medicines. This can be because you have had trouble managing your medicines. Your prescriber can also decrease the number of times you pick up a limited range of medicines that would normally be dispensed monthly, if they think this would be of benefit to you. Talk to your doctor (or other prescriber) if you think these options apply to you.

What if I have concerns over my ability to remember when and how to take all my medicines?

You should discuss this with your prescriber. If you think you will have difficulty in managing your medicines, your prescriber may be able to arrange for you to have smaller amounts more frequently.

Who should I talk to about these changes?

Your doctor (or other prescriber) or other health professional will be able to talk to you about which of these options apply to you.

What if my medicines aren’t on the all-at-once list and I have trouble collecting my repeat dispensings?

You can talk this over with your pharmacist. In some cases you can get more of your medicines dispensed

You can also call PHARMAC on 0800 66 00 50 (9-4 weekdays), or go to www.pharmac.govt.nz.