You can scan and keep an electronic copy of a prescription instead of a paper copy, provided the following requirements are met:
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All records of prescriptions dispensed must be retained for two years from the date of dispensing and must be kept on the premises where the prescription was dispensed.
All records of emergency supplies made must be retained for two years from the date of supply and must be kept on the premises where the order was supplied.
All drugs of addiction (Schedule 8) must be kept locked in a safe at all times except when in immediate use. All restricted substances (Schedule 4) and pharmacist only medicines (Schedule 3) must be stored in a room or enclosure to which the public does not have access, such as a dispensary.
Schedule 6 poisons must be stored at least 1.2 metres off the floor (and away from any stairway) unless stored in a container which meets the legal requirements for a child-resistant container/closure.
The Health Records and Information Protection Act 2002 provides limits on when health practitioners may disclose information. Health information must only be disclosed for the primary purpose for which it was collected unless an applicable exemption applies under Health Privacy Principle 10 (HPP 10) - Limits on disclosure of health information.
More information on privacy legislation applicable to private sector health providers is available on the website of the Information and Privacy Commission NSW.
Under the provisions of section 43 of the Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Act 1966, you are obliged to give access to a NSW Ministry of Health Inspector to search, or make copies of records related to the supply of medicines or poisons for the purpose of ensuring compliance.
Inspectors are bound by strict privacy legislation that prevent them from disclosing this information to unauthorised persons. Before granting access to any records, you should ask to see the Inspector's photographic identification authority card.
