The NSW Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Regulation 2008 requires people authorised to be in possession of a drug of addiction (Schedule 8 substance) or a prescribed restricted substance (Schedule 4 Appendix D substance) to immediately notify the Secretary of Health of any loss or theft of these drugs.
Pharmaceutical Services of the NSW Ministry of Health must be immediately notified without delay when the loss or theft of an S8 or S4D substance has occurred. Any loss must be notified, regardless of the amount.
Following initial notification to Pharmaceutical Services, if further details about the incident become available, a notification form should be re-submitted to include additional details.
For further assistance or advice, please submit an online enquiry.
Notification to Pharmaceutical Services of any loss or theft of an accountable drug (including any follow up notification) is to be made using Notification of Loss or Theft of Accountable Drugs.
Where more than 3 different preparations have been lost or stolen, complete the Supplementary Page: Notification of Loss or Theft of Accountable Drugs (S8 or S4D substances) (referred to at Q12 on the notification form).
Handwritten or scanned forms will only be accepted in exceptional circumstances and only by prior arrangement.
The form must be completed electronically and emailed to MOH-PharmaceuticalServices@health.nsw.gov.au.
A copy of the submitted form should be kept for your records.
Each incident of the loss or theft of accountable drugs (S8, S4D or other substances) from the NSW public health system must be notified by the Director of Pharmacy, or Director of Nursing where no pharmacist is employed.
Staff should also be aware of any local protocols that should be followed, such as completion of an Incident Information Management System (IIMS) report. A Reportable Incident Brief (RIB) may be required in some circumstances.
Information on reporting requirements for the loss or theft of Schedule 8 and Schedule 4D substances from NSW public health facilities can be found in the policy directive PD2022_032 Medication Handling.
Notify the loss or theft of accountable drugs
People authorised to be in possession of S8 or S4D substances may include medical practitioners, pharmacists, dentists, nurses, nurse practitioners, ambulance officers, veterinary practitioners, pharmaceutical wholesalers and pharmaceutical manufacturing licence holders, and people in charge of a laboratory used for analysis or research.
Drugs of addiction are substances listed under Schedule 8 (S8) of the NSW Poisons List and are substances which may be abused, are addiction producing or potentially addiction producing, and potentially dangerous. Examples include morphine, oxycodone, methadone, buprenorphine, fentanyl, pethidine, hydromorphone and flunitrazepam.
Restricted substances (S4D substances) are substances listed in Appendix D to the Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Regulation. These substances may be abused and/or are liable to cause dependence. Examples include anabolic/androgenic steroids, benzodiazepines, phenobarbitone, phentermine and Schedule 4 pseudoephedrine preparations.
