You will need approval if you intend to prescribe a controlled medicine to a patient. Controlled medicines include:
- opioids
- benzodiazepines
- barbiturates
- amphetamines
- methyl phenidate
- growth hormones
- all other schedule 5 and 8 medicines
- remedies for alcoholic, drug and tobacco habits.
There are two kinds of approvals that are available:
- A standing approval, that is not applied for, that only permits prescribing controlled medicines for hospital in-patients, short-term treatment or opioid maintenance in certain institutions.
- A Chief Health Operator (CHO) approval that allows the provision of controlled medicines in all other circumstances.
CHO controlled medicine approvals must be applied for every time you intend to prescribe a controlled medicine for a patient.
