Private Practice
- Text Decrease
- Text Increase
- Print Page
Template letter to Podiatrists re: prescribing schedule drugs
Podiatrists have recently been granted the right to prescribe certain Schedule 4 and Schedule 8 drugs. The Podiatry Board has issued a directive to podiatrists that when they prescribe these Schedule drugs, they must write to the patient’s treating general practitioner to inform him or her of this. AMA Victoria has prepared for your assistance a Template Letter (at Page 2 below) to amend as appropriate and send to a podiatrist when you are informed in this manner. The Template Letter asserts that you take no responsibility for the prescription or treatment. Notwithstanding that statement, you do have some obligations.
Important: Your obligations
When you receive health information concerning your patients, you have certain legal and ethical obligations. When notified by a podiatrist of prescription of Schedule drugs, you must:
- Incorporate that information into the patient’s medical record;
- Ensure that you are satisfied that there is no possible adverse drug interaction or adverse clinical outcome which might impact on the patient’s health; and
- In the event of the possibility of an adverse outcome as a result of the prescription, notify the patient of that possibility and give advice.
As such, we recommend that for any patient who is prescribed Schedule medications, your practice contact that patient and ask them to make an appointment to see you.
AMA Victoria also recommends that you place a visible notice stating “It is important that your doctor has full knowledge of your health care in order to care for you properly. If you are seeing a podiatrist or any allied health professional, please ensure that you notify your doctor, especially if you are prescribed medications.”
Finally, AMA Victoria recommends that if you receive a notification from a podiatrist, you contact your medical indemnity insurer.
-
Template letter to Podiatrists
- Size: 33.8 kB
- Type: doc
- Published: May 2, 2011
