Publications required in pharmacies in NSW

The Health Practitioner Regulation (New South Wales) Regulation 2016 adopts, in Schedule 5 (for pharmacy premises) and Schedule 6 (for professional services room premises) of the regulation, the latest editions, and all published amendments or supplements to those editions, of the publications listed in the Pharmacy Board of Australia’s Guidelines on practice-specific issues—Guideline 1 (List of reference texts for pharmacists), as amended from time to time, as required publications in NSW.

The legislation allows these to be in the form of hard copy or electronic format provided that ALL pharmacists at a pharmacy can access electronic versions by way of a password known to all pharmacists at that pharmacy. Clause 14 of the regulation spells out the requirements for the use of electronic versions.

At the current time (August 2021) these are

a) the Australian Pharmaceutical Formulary and Handbook (APF)  (25th Edition)

b) the Australian Medicines Handbook (AMH) (2021 Edition)

c) Therapeutic Guidelines series (the eTG )

d) a source of current Australian product information and consumer medicine information

• MIMS Annual with MIMS Abbreviated (MIMS 2020)

• e-MIMSCloud

• MIMS Online, or

• AusDI Advanced/AusDI.

e) a drug interactions reference (updated at least quarterly)

• AusDI Advanced/AusDI

• Drug Interaction Facts – Facts and Comparisons

• eMIMS

• MIMS Online

• Micromedex

• Stockley’s Drug Interactions Online, or

• Lexicomp Interactions.

f) the AMH Children’s Dosing Companion (2020 Edition)

g) the Australian Don’t Rush to Crush Handbook (3rd Edition)

h) an evidence-based reference work on complementary and alternative medicines

• Herbs and Natural Supplements: An evidence-based guide. Braun and Cohen

• Herbal Medicines. Barnes, Anderson and Phillipson

• Herbal Medicines and Dietary Supplements package (each resource can be independently accessed through MedicinesComplete)

• MedlinePlus: Drugs, Supplements, and Herbal Information (available free online at www.nlm.nih.gov/druginformation.html  or  www.medlineplus.gov/druginformation.html

Natural & Alternative Treatments: EBSCO, or

• Natural Medicines (formerly Natural Standard and Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database).

i) copies of the legislation controlling the practice of pharmacy:

• the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law, as in force in each state and territory (the National Law).

In NSW this is the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (NSW) No 86a and the Health Practitioner Regulation (New South Wales) Regulation 2016 (available at www.legislation.nsw.gov.au )

• Drugs, medicines and poisons legislation  

In NSW this is the Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Act 1966 No 31 and the Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Regulation 2008 plus the Poisons and Therapeutic Goods (Poisons List) Proclamation 2016 (available at www.legislation.nsw.gov.au )

• Standards, codes and guidelines relevant to pharmacy practice for each jurisdiction (including information published by relevant government departments and jurisdictional pharmacy premises registering authorities)

• Standard for the Uniform Scheduling of Medicines and Poisons (SUSMP). The current version is February 2021. This is available online only at www.tga.gov.au/publication/poisons-standard-susmp

The Guide to the NSW Medicines and Poisons Schedules published by the Pharmacy Guild of Australia (New South Wales Branch) is an acceptable alternative.

j) the Australian Immunisation Handbook (2020 Edition). This is available online at www.immunise.health.gov.au handbook

k) the professional practice standards and guidelines published by the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) available at www.psa.org.au and The Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia (SHPA) available at www.shpa.org.au

l) the Pharmacy Board of Australia guidelines available at www.pharmacyboard.gov.au

m) the Merck Manual (Professional Version)  (Merck Sharp and Dohme). Available from www.merckmanuals.com/professional

(Note: Unrestricted access to references i) – m) is available from relevant websites).

Please ensure that your publications are up to date and that all pharmacists are able to show that they are accessible when the pharmacy is routinely inspected for compliance with the legislation.