20Functions in relation to prescription shopping

20 Functions in relation to prescription shopping

(1) A prescribed function is to detect and prevent prescription shopping, which includes the functions mentioned in this regulation. (2) The Chief Executive Medicare may use PBS information (including personal information) for the performance of the functions mentioned in this regulation. (3) The education and prevention function is to: (a) promote awareness of the Prescription Shopping Program to healthcare providers, prescription shoppers and the general public; and (b) promote measures to assist healthcare providers to manage prescription shoppers or people who may be at risk of prescription shopping; and (c) educate healthcare providers and prescription shoppers about the law and requirements within which the Prescription Shopping Program operates; and (d) encourage prescription shoppers to have a nominated prescriber; and (e) encourage prescribers to become nominated prescribers; and (f) encourage communication between prescribers, approved suppliers and pharmacists; and (g) discourage inefficient and improper use of pharmaceutical benefits. (4) The identification and detection function is to: (a) identify prescription shoppers, prescribers prescribing pharmaceutical benefits to prescription shoppers and approved suppliers supplying pharmaceutical benefits to prescription shoppers; and (b) establish and maintain databases containing information about prescription shoppers; and (c) detect and identify prescription shoppers who may be improperly using, stockpiling, swapping, diverting or illegally dealing with pharmaceutical benefits. (5) The disclosure function is to: (a) disclose PBS information about whether a person is or is not a prescription shopper; and (b) disclose PBS information about a prescription shopper to: (i) the prescription shopper; and (ii) a prescriber, to assist the prescriber to make decisions about prescribing to a prescription shopper who has visited or is visiting that prescriber or is a patient of that prescriber; and (iii) an approved supplier who is proposing to supply, or has supplied, pharmaceutical benefits to the prescription shopper, to assist the approved supplier (or a pharmacist employed by the approved supplier) to make decisions about supplying pharmaceutical benefits to that prescription shopper. (6) The Chief Executive Medicare may perform the disclosure function for the following purposes: (a) administering and enforcing the Chief Executive Medicare’s functions under the National Health Act; (b) protecting public revenue; (c) discouraging inefficient and improper use of pharmaceutical benefits. (7) The evaluation and reporting function is to use PBS information and information collected by the Chief Executive Medicare under the National Health Act to: (a) evaluate the Prescription Shopping Program; and (b) report (using de‑identified PBS information) to the Health Department and other bodies on the administration and outcomes of the Program. (8) In this regulation: