The Pharmaceutical Services Branch of the WA Department of Health provides advice, develops policy and administers regulatory controls for medicines including drugs of dependence (Schedule 8 medicines), therapeutic goods and poisons in Western Australia. The Pharmaceutical Services branch is responsible for the administration of the Poisons Act 1964 and the Poisons Regulations 1965. 

Areas of the Pharmaceutical Services Branch:

Drugs of dependence (Schedule 8 medicines)

• Issues authorisations to prescribe Schedule 8 medicines and monitors the prescription of Schedule 8 medicines from reports received from pharmacies.

Licences and permits

• Issues licences and permits authorising the possession, supply and sale of medicines and poisons.

Community Program for Opioid Pharmacotherapy (CPOP)

• Authorises prescribers and patients participating in the Community Program for Opioid Pharmacotherapy (CPOP).

Stimulant Regulatory Scheme

• Administers the Stimulant Regulatory Scheme which sets controls on the prescribing and dispensing of stimulant medicines (dexamphetamine and methylphenidate) in Western Australia.

Highly Specialised Drugs (HSD) program

• Administers the Highly Specialised Drugs (HSD) Program on behalf of the Department of Health, where the Commonwealth Government funds the use of specified expensive medicines through WA public hospitals.

Strategies to implement a national approach to poisonous chemical controls – COAG Consultation Regulation Impact Statement – National Coordinating Committee on Therapeutic Goods

The Standing Council on Health (SCOH) have released a consultation Regulation Impact Statement (RIS) on strategies to implement a national approach to poisonous chemical controls, as set out in the Standard for Uniform Scheduling of Medicines and Poisons (SUSMP). The Consultation RIS considers options to improve national consistency of poisonous chemical regulation.

The Consultation RIS can be found on the Queensland Health website at: www.health.qld.gov.au/ph/ehu/drugs_poisons.asp

Publications and information
Schedule 8 Medicines Prescribing Code (PDF 438KB) Schedule 8 Medicines Prescribing Code supporting material
Training guide for the reporting of S8 and S4R medicine discrepancies in public hospitals (PDF 5.47MB) Training guide for the reporting of S8 and S4R medicine discrepancies in public hospitals (PowerPoint 9.11MB) Flowchart for investigating and reporting medicine loss Medicine loss/discrepancy reporting form
Training guide for the new S8 drug Register used in hospitals (PDF 4.64MB) Training guide for the new S8 drug Register used in hospitals (PowerPoint 5.32MB)
The Medicines, Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Bill 2011
Update on pseudoephedrine diversion (PDF 176KB)
New guidance for pharmacists – Interstate Schedule 8 prescriptions (PDF 39KB)
Guidance for prescribers – Specified drugs (PDF 53KB)
Advice on prescribing Schedule 4 and Schedule 8 medicines in Western Australia (PDF 777KB)
Quick clinical guidelines for the use of opioids in chronic non-malignant pain
Vaccine administration code (PDF 138KB)

Contact us

Related websites

State Law Publisher

Statuatory Medical Notifications

Pharmaceutical Benefit Scheme (PSB) reform