National Health (Electronic National Residential Medication Chart Trial) Amendment (Approved Residential Care Services) Special Arrangement 3 of 2020

Administered by Department of Health, Disability and Ageing

Legislation au F2020L00675 Not in force Legislative Instrument

Legislation content

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

 

National Health Act 1953

 

National Health (Electronic National Residential Medication Chart Trial) Amendment (Approved Residential Care Services) Special Arrangement 3 of 2020

 

 

 

Authority

 

This instrument is made under section 100(2) of the National Health Act 1953 (the Act).

 

Subsection 100(1) of the Act enables the Minister to make special arrangements for the supply of pharmaceutical benefits. Subsection 100(2) of the Act provides that the Minister may vary or revoke a special arrangement made under subsection 100(1).

 

Subsection 100(3) of the Act provides that Part VII of the Act, and instruments made for the purposes of Part VII of the Act, have effect subject to a special arrangement made under subsection 100(1). 

 

Purpose

 

The National Health (Electronic National Residential Medication Chart Trial) Special Arrangement 2018 (the Principal Instrument) allows three electronic medication management software vendors to trial their electronic medication order chart systems for the purposes of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) in approved residential care services. These systems provide a fully electronic version of the paper based residential medication chart currently available in all Australian approved residential care services.

 

The trial allows approved prescribers (usually general practitioners) within approved trial facilities to prescribe pharmaceutical benefits directly from the electronic National Residential Medication Chart system without developing a second paper-based prescription (often referred to as a medication order). Once rendered and electronically authenticated, these medication orders are sent directly to the approved supplier’s dispensing software (or made available by electronic means) for dispensing. Once dispensed, the pharmaceutical item is sent to the approved residential care service for administration to the patient (which is also recorded in the electronic National Residential Medication Chart system), and a claim for payment is sent electronically to the Chief Executive Medicare by the approved supplier.

The purpose of the National Health (Electronic National Residential Medication Chart Trial) Amendment (Approved Residential Care Services) Special Arrangement 3 of 2020 (the Amending Instrument) is to amend the Schedule to this Special Arrangement to correct administrative errors in the listed addresses and pharmacy approval numbers, and remove a small number of participants who have withdrawn from the trial.
 

A provision by provision description of the Amending Instrument is contained in Attachment 1.

 

Consultation

The Department has consulted with the participating software vendors, and relevant state and territory governments regarding this amendment. The residential aged care facilities and pharmacies identified within the Schedule to this instrument, have voluntarily agreed to participate in the Trial, are aware of the amendments to the legislation that enable their participation and understand the terms and conditions of the Trial.

Commencement

The Amending Instrument commences the day after registration.

 

The Amending Instrument is a legislative instrument for the purposes of the Legislation Act 2003.

 


ATTACHMENT 1

Provision by provision description of the National Health (Electronic National Residential Medication Chart Trial) Amendment (approved Residential Care Services) Special Arrangement 3 of 2020

 

Section 1 Name

This section provides for the Amending Instrument to be referred to as the National Health (Electronic National Residential Medication Chart Trial) Amendment (approved Residential Care Services) Special Arrangement 3 of 2020.

 

Section 2 Commencement

This section specifies that the legislation will come into effect from the day after the instrument is registered.


Section 3 Authority

This section provides that the Special Arrangement is made under section 100(2) of the National Health Act 1953.


Section 4 Schedules

This section provides for the amendments being made to the Schedule to the original instrument, correcting incorrect addresses and pharmacy approval numbers, and removing a small number of participants that have withdrawn from the National Health Electronic National Residential Medication Chart trial. 

 

The Schedule

The Schedule specifies the name, address and approval number of the residential care services participating in this Special Arrangement; the name, address and approval number of the approved supplier associated with each residential care service participating in this Special Arrangement; and the electronic medication management system software vendor associated with each residential care service.


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Overview

The National Health Act 1953, enacted by the Australian Parliament, serves as a foundational piece of legislation for the provision and regulation of health services within Australia, including the supply of pharmaceutical benefits. To address gaps in the efficiency and accuracy of medication management in residential care services, the Act was amended to facilitate a trial of electronic National Residential Medication Chart (eNRMC) systems. The National Health (Electronic National Residential Medication Chart Trial) Special Arrangement 3 of 2020 amends the original trial arrangements to correct administrative errors and update the list of participating services and suppliers. This special arrangement, made under section 100(2) of the Act, allows selected residential care services and pharmacies to participate in the trial of eNRMC systems, aiming to streamline the process of prescribing, dispensing, and administering medications while ensuring electronic claims are processed correctly through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). The amendment reflects a commitment to improving the accuracy and efficiency of medication management in residential care settings, thereby enhancing patient safety and care quality.

Scope and Application

The National Health (Electronic National Residential Medication Chart Trial) Amendment (Approved Residential Care Services) Special Arrangement 3 of 2020, made under section 100(2) of the National Health Act 1953, amends the Schedule to the National Health (Electronic National Residential Medication Chart Trial) Special Arrangement 2018 to correct administrative errors and remove participants who have withdrawn from the trial. This Special Arrangement applies to approved residential care services, prescribers, suppliers, and software vendors participating in the trial, facilitating the use of electronic medication order chart systems for pharmaceutical benefits under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. The amendment affects the addresses, pharmacy approval numbers, and participant details listed in the Schedule, thereby ensuring the accuracy and continued participation of authorised entities within the trial. The scope of this Special Arrangement is national, impacting all approved residential care services participating in the trial across Australia. Exclusions or exemptions are not explicitly stated; however, the participation is voluntary and contingent upon the terms and conditions of the trial. The Amending Instrument comes into effect the day after registration and is subject to the provisions of the Legislation Act 2003.

Key Provisions

The National Health (Electronic National Residential Medication Chart Trial) Amendment (Approved Residential Care Services) Special Arrangement 3 of 2020 amends the original Special Arrangement by correcting administrative errors in the listed addresses and pharmacy approval numbers, and by removing a small number of participants who have withdrawn from the trial (Schedule). This amendment ensures that the trial continues smoothly with accurate information and the exclusion of those no longer participating. Parties or entities governed by this Act, such as approved residential care services, approved suppliers, and electronic medication management software vendors, must ensure that their information, including addresses and approval numbers, is accurate and up-to-date. They must also comply with the terms and conditions of the trial, which include the use of the electronic medication management systems for prescribing and dispensing pharmaceutical benefits within the trial framework. Furthermore, these parties must ensure that they are aware of and understand the amendments to the legislation that enable their participation in the trial. While the Act does not explicitly detail specific offences, penalties, or civil/criminal consequences for breaches of the Special Arrangement, any non-compliance with the terms and conditions of the trial could potentially lead to the cessation of participation in the trial or other administrative actions. Given that this is a trial under the auspices of the National Health Act 1953, breaches could also potentially lead to actions under the broader provisions of the Act, which might include fines or other penalties as deemed appropriate by the Minister. The specific consequences would depend on the nature and severity of the breach, as well as the discretion of the Minister in enforcing the Act.

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Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation at 26 August 2026. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to https://www.legislation.gov.au.