Veterinarians filling scripts from other vets

In consultation with the VSBQ, we are providing the following information regarding veterinarians filling medication scripts from other veterinarians.

Veterinarians are not pharmacists so they cannot fill a written prescription, or dispense “repeat medications” from another veterinarian that is presented to them without undertaking due diligence around that prescription and meeting the requirements of Queensland Health and the VSBQ.

The Queensland Health document; QLD Health - Key legislative requirements – Medicines and Poisons Act 2019 Key legislative requirements – veterinary surgeons, provides the relevant information, with these extracts most pertinent:

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Prescribing medicines Veterinary practitioners may prescribe medicines for the treatment of an animal under their care if the veterinary surgeon has assessed the medicine to be reasonably necessary for the therapeutic treatment of the animal. The Medicines Regulation authorizes a veterinary surgeon to dispense (on a prescription) a non-restricted medicine to the owner or custodian of an animal for its veterinary treatment.

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When dispensing a prescription, including a prescription from another veterinary surgeon, the dispensing veterinary surgeon must:

• meet the professional obligations required by the Veterinary Surgeons Board of Queensland (VSBQ) including having a bona fide relationship with the animal being treated such that the dispensing veterinary surgeon is satisfied that the medicine they are supplying is appropriate treatment for the animal;

Our understanding is that this can allow for medication to be dispensed, without the need for an animal to be examined – in exceptional circumstances, and provided the veterinarian dispensing the medication has undertaken sufficient information gathering of the need for the medication. This is so that veterinarians meet their legislative requirements for prescribing and dispensing and if any negative outcome that may occur was to be investigated, the dispensing of the medication can be justified to the VSBQ.

Steps taken to seek information, where an examination and/or clinical investigation of the patient is not performed, may include contacting the veterinarian who regularly treats the animal to confirm details of the patient’s medical history and management.

Records should be kept of all communications and reason for dispensing medication if an examination of the animal has not been performed by the dispensing veterinarian and must meet the bona fide patient relationship that the VSBQ require.