Pharmaceutical reform in SA public hospitals

To improve medication management and quality use of medicines for patients moving between the hospital and community, the South Australian and Australian governments have worked together to implement pharmaceutical reforms.

Key objectives

The key objectives of the reforms are:

  • to provide patients with up to one months supply of medications on discharge, and when attending a public hospital as an outpatient
  • to allow public hospitals to access the same pharmaceutical scheme that operates in the community, and thereby reducing patient confusion about medications
  • to restore equity between public and private hospital patients by allowing access to a group of chemotherapy medications for use by day-admitted patients and outpatients
  • to improve communication between the hospital, patients and primary health care professionals by implementing the Australian Pharmaceutical Advisory Council’s (APAC) guiding principles to achieve continuity in medication management
  • to promote a smooth transition between hospital and community by allowing sufficient time for patient information sent from hospitals to reach primary health care professionals before patients attend for their first post-hospital visit.

Participating hospitals

The following hospitals are participating in these pharmaceutical reforms in South Australia:

  • Royal Adelaide Hospital
  • Flinders Medical Centre
  • Glenside Campus
  • Hampstead Rehabilitation Centre
  • Noarlunga Health Service
  • The Queen Elizabeth Hospital
  • Lyell McEwin Hospital
  • Women’s and Children’s Hospital
  • St Margaret’s Hospital
  • Mount Gambier and Districts Health Service
  • Port Augusta Hospital and Regional Health Services
  • Port Pirie Hospital and Regional Health Service
  • Whyalla Hospital and Health Service
  • Modbury Hospital
  • Riverland General Hospital
  • Port Lincoln Health Service.

Pharmaceutical reform: policy for public hospitals directive

The Pharmaceutical reform: policy for public hospitals directive (PDF 112KB) outlines conditions and policies for South Australian public hospitals participating in the pharmaceutical reform initiative including:

  • the Pharmaceutical Reform Agreement between the Commonwealth and South Australian governments
  • reporting against milestones and key performance indicators to achieve continuity in medication management
  • a standard process for dispensing and charging of medication

Pharmaceutical reform: policy for public hospitals (PDF 112KB)

Contact

Telephone: (08) 8204 1944 or (08) 8226 7240