Special Authority / Chem Numbers

[Revised Jan 10]

 Chem or Special Authority numbers should be recorded on a script, and when the same item is dispensed for the same patient within the expiry date, will remind the pharmacist of the number, and if accepted, add the details to 'SmartClaim'.

 To record a Chem/Spec number

Once the drug has been specified, tick the 'Chem/Spec number' tick box on the 'status' panel (<alt> + <i>). It will ask for the drug details, number, expiry date.

To cancel a Chem/Spec number

Untick the 'Chem/Spec number' box on the status card, or just say 'no' when asked if it is to be applied to this script during dispensing. The number automatically stop when the expiry date is reached.

Specialist details

If the Chem/Spec number is ticked, it will ask the specialist's name, date of expiry of the number etc. To edit these later, bring up the script to edit or repeat, then select Edit while the script is on screen and 'Specialist'

Examples of how to handle Special Authority

Specialist only drugs.

This drug is marked with a category 'S' therefore will ask "Is this prescribed by a specialist?". Answering 'Yes' will price the script as SS. If there is a Special Authority to remove the premium then tick the Spec Auth box on the Status tab. The 'New Specialist Authority Number box appears. Either of the 'Function' button options will remove the premium since the script is SS.

However if the answer to the Specialist question is 'no' the script would price as NSS and the left 'Function' radio button would retain the premium and the right option would remove the premium.

Dispensing a Special Food

all Special foods and 'Special Authority' drugs are marked with a category of NSS. Therefore when selected in a script, the pricing will be NSS. Tick the 'Special Authority' box on the Status tab to bring up the 'New Specialist Authority Number' box. The left 'Function' button, if checked, will make the script SS and retain the premium. The right 'Function' button will make the script SS and remove the premium.

Special authority 'Hospital' drugs

A script that can only be dispensed with a Special Authority number will have an NSS category on the stockcard. When selected for dispensing it will price @ NSS pricing.

Eg On a script for a patient, select the drug. Since it is marked as NSS on the stockcard (with a Special Reg of Special Authority) it will come up with NSS pricing. Go to the 1 Status tab and tick the Special Authority box.

Since the pricing on the drug is NSS, choose the LHS function to make the script SS and retain any premium. Enter the Special Authority number and expiry date then <OK>. The script will now be counted on safety net.

In the case where the Special Authority is to remove the premium, so as long as you have said yes to the Specialist question, the script will price as SS and either of the function options will remove the premium.

Choosing the RHS function on the Special authority box will always remove the premium. To be sure of removing a premium, choose the RHS option.

 If Spec Auth not available for first dispensing of a prescription with repeats

 On  the original script (xxxxxxxx/1), go to the 'Claim' tab on the Script and  tick "Claim regardless NSS" and this will make it go into the next claim. Then  after that claim is done, go to /2 and "Resubmit not yet paid." Note that HPac cannot accept both  /1 and /2 in the same claim.