Dispensing Schedule 8 psychostimulant medicines

​Legal requirements in NSW

A pharmacist cannot dispense a prescription for a Schedule 8 (S8) psychostimulant medicine (dexamfetamine, lisdexamfetamine, methylphenidate) unless it includes the NSW Health approval number issued by the NSW Ministry of Health to the prescriber. Exemptions apply and are listed below.

A NSW Ministry of Health 'approval' is a reference to an authority under the Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Act 1966. This approval is separate to a PBS authority which allows access to a medicine at a subsidised cost.

Valid approval numbers

The NSW Ministry of Health approval numbers are issued in the following formats:

Prescriptions endorsed with approval numbers “CNS" or “S28c" remain valid for dispensing, unless expired or cancelled. For more information, see Authority(CNS or S28c) to prescribe or supply psychostimulant medicines.

Pharmacists are not expected to check that the appro​val number on a prescription is valid.

Exemptions

A medical practitioner may prescribe a S8 psychostimulant medicine on behalf of another medical practitioner who holds an individual patient approval. The practitioners must both practice from the same premises.

Hospital inpatients

A NSW Health approval is not required if the patient:

  • has an approval from NSW Ministry of Health immediately before admission to the hospital, or
  • is an inpatient, and the S8 psychostimulant medicine is prescribed for up to 14 days following admission.

Following this 14-day period, the hospital authorised prescriber is required to obtain a NSW Health approval from the NSW Ministry of Health if there is no prior approval for that patient. On discharge, the patient's hospital prescriber is responsible for ensuring continuity of care.

Under these exemptions, no approval number is required to be included on a prescription or medication chart for inpatients.

Pharmacist responsibilities

When dispensing a prescription for an S8 psychostimulant medicine, a pharmacist needs to:

  • ensure the prescription is valid and includes all required information for an S8 prescription
  • sight the approval number on the prescription (unless issued under a valid exemption)
  • verify the prescription's legitimacy if the patient, or the prescriber, or the prescriber’s handwriting is unknown to you
  • comply with the requirements for S8 medicines and the Pharmacy Board of Australia Guidelines for the dispensing of medicines.
  • check SafeScript NSW to support clinical decision-making and patient safety.

Information on verifying an S8 prescription and what to do if you cannot verify it, or if the prescription appears forged, altered, or fraudulently obtained, is available at Lost, stolen or forged prescriptions.


Current as at: Friday 29 August 2025
Contact page owner: Pharmaceutical Services