When were the Pharmacy Guild, Pharmaceutical Society of Australia and RACGP notified of 60 day dispensing.
Dear Department of Health,
Recently Minister Butler announced that 60 day dispensing would be included in the upcoming budget to provide financial relief to patients across the country.
After this there has been a public debate about the benefits this will have for the public and potential financial impacts on pharmacies.
Can the Minister’s Office or Department of Health please advise on what dates the following three organisations were advised of 60 day dispensing being included in the budget and what, if any, consultation was undertaken with these groups and on what dates:
- Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (peak pharmacist body in Australia)
- Pharmacy Guild of Australia (employers organisation representing pharmacy owners)
- Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (peak body for GPs in Australia)
Can you also please advise any analysis, if any, that was undertaken to see financial impact to pharmacies of this policy, as well as any analysis showing benefits to the public and paying consumers.
Yours faithfully,
JS
Good afternoon,
Acknowledgement of receipt of Freedom of Information request
I refer to your request received by the Department of Health and Aged Care
(the department) for access to documents under the Freedom of Information
Act 1982 (FOI Act). You have requested access to:
Recently Minister Butler announced that 60 day dispensing would be
included in the upcoming budget to provide financial relief to patients
across the country.
After this there has been a public debate about the benefits this will
have for the public and potential financial impacts on pharmacies.
Can the Minister’s Office or Department of Health please advise on what
dates the following three organisations were advised of 60 day dispensing
being included in the budget and what, if any, consultation was undertaken
with these groups and on what dates:
- Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (peak pharmacist body in Australia)
- Pharmacy Guild of Australia (employers organisation representing
pharmacy owners)
- Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (peak body for GPs in
Australia)
Can you also please advise any analysis, if any, that was undertaken to
see financial impact to pharmacies of this policy, as well as any analysis
showing benefits to the public and paying consumers.
The reference number for your request is FOI-4400 Please ensure that you
quote this number in future correspondence with us concerning this
request.
Timeframes
Your request was received on 08 May 2023. The statutory timeframe for
processing your request is 30 calendar days and you should expect to be
notified of a decision from the department on or before 07 June 2023.
period of 30 days may be extended if the department needs to consult
third parties or for other reasons. We will advise you if this happens.
Other information
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access to the documents. If this request attracts a charge you will be
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Unless you advise otherwise:
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of your request, and
· any public service employee names below Senior Executive Service
level and direct telephone numbers of all staff will be excluded from the
scope of your request under s22(1)(a)(ii) of the FOI Act.
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You can contact the FOI team via email at [2][email address] or by phone
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Kind regards,
Tegan
FOI Officer – Freedom of Information Section
Legal Advice and Legislation
Legal and Assurance Division | Corporate Operations Group
Australian Government, Department of Health and Aged Care
T: 02 6289 1666 | E: [3][email address]
PO Box 9848, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia
The Department of Health and Aged Care acknowledges the traditional owners
of country throughout Australia, and their continuing connection to land,
sea and community. We pay our respects to them and their cultures, and to
elders both past and present
Good afternoon,
I refer to your request to the Department of Health and Aged Care (the Department) reproduced below.
The statutory due date for your request is currently 7 June 2023.
Request for extension of time
Section 15AA of the FOI Act permits the department to extend the statutory processing timeframe, with your agreement, for a period of up to 30 calendar days.
To ensure that Department has undertaken all reasonable steps to identify all documents relevant to your request, and for the decision maker to make a well-balanced decision on access to any such documents identified, the Department is seeking your agreement to an extension of 11 calendar days.
If you agree to this extension, the statutory due date will then be 18 June 2023 (same as FOI 4386). The Department will however continue to process your request as quickly as possible.
It would assist if you could please advise by COB Tuesday 6 June 2023 if you agree to this extension of time. If we do not hear from you by this date or if you do not agree to the extension, the Department may consider seeking an extension of time from the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) under section 15AB of the FOI Act.
We thank you for your ongoing patience and cooperation as we continue to process your request.
If you have any questions regarding any of the matters discussed in this email, please do not hesitate to contact the FOI Section at [Health request email]
Kind regards,
Vincent
Case Officer – Freedom of Information Section
Legal Advice and Legislation
Legal and Assurance Division | Corporate Operations Group
Australian Government, Department of Health and Aged Care
T: 02 6289 1666 | E: [email address]
PO Box 9848, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia
The Department of Health and Aged Care acknowledges the traditional owners of country throughout Australia, and their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to them and their cultures, and to elders both past and present.
Dear FOI,
Hi Vincent, I’m happy to agree to the extension. As this policy is actively in the media and there are two different narratives being pushed as to whether consultation occurred I would appreciate this FOI being expedited where possible to ensure that the public have access to a truthful record of events.
Yours sincerely,
JS
Good afternoon J S,
In light of unforeseen delays in finalising decisions for this request,
are you agreeable to an extension of time of 10 days? The due date will be
28 June 2023, however I anticipate providing you with a response sooner as
the Department will continue to process your request as quickly as
possible.
It would assist if you could please advise by COB Friday 16 June 2023. If
we do not hear from you by this date or if you do not agree to the
extension, the Department may seek an extension of time from the Office of
the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) under section 15AB of the
FOI Act.
Kind regards,
Vincent
Case Officer – Freedom of Information Section
Legal Advice and Legislation
Legal and Assurance Division | Corporate Operations Group
Australian Government, Department of Health and Aged Care
T: 02 6289 1666 | E: [1][email address]
PO Box 9848, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia
The Department of Health and Aged Care acknowledges the traditional owners
of country throughout Australia, and their continuing connection to land,
sea and community. We pay our respects to them and their cultures, and to
elders both past and present.
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Thank you J S.
Just to confirm, do you also agree to an extension for FOI 4386?
Kind regards,
Vincent
Case Officer – Freedom of Information Section
Legal Advice and Legislation
Legal and Assurance Division | Corporate Operations Group
Australian Government, Department of Health and Aged Care
T: 02 6289 1666 | E: [email address]
PO Box 9848, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia
The Department of Health and Aged Care acknowledges the traditional owners of country throughout Australia, and their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to them and their cultures, and to elders both past and present.
Dear FOI,
Hi Vincent. I note that it is now July 2nd and both requests are overdue. I responded to both requests for second extensions to 28 June. Are you planning on extending it again? The questions aren’t particularly challenging to answer.
Yours sincerely,
JS
Dear Department of Health,
Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of Information reviews.
I am writing to request an internal review of Department of Health's handling of my FOI request 'When were the Pharmacy Guild, Pharmaceutical Society of Australia and RACGP notified of 60 day dispensing.'.
This FOI act request should have been responded to by 7 June 2023. I then accepted not one but two extensions through until 28 June 2023. That is an additional 3 weeks of processing time, and as at 6 July I have still not received a response. I would like to request an internal review and an update regarding this request.
A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is available on the Internet at this address: https://www.righttoknow.org.au/request/w...
Yours faithfully,
JS
Our reference: RQ23/03803
Agency reference: FOI 4400
J S
Sent by email: [1][FOI #10286 email]
CC: [2][Health request email]
Extension of time under s 15AC
Dear Applicant,
Please find attached an FOI Extension of time decision relating to your
FOI request with the Department of Health and Aged Care. A copy of this
decision has been provided to the Department today.
Kind regards,
Thomas Hanaee
[3][IMG] Assistant Review Adviser
Freedom of Information Regulatory Group
Office of the Australian Information
Commissioner
GPO Box 5218 Sydney NSW 2001 |
[4]oaic.gov.au
1300 363 992 | [5][email address]
[6][IMG] | [7][IMG] | [8][IMG] | [9]Subscribe to OAICnet newsletter
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References
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Good afternoon J S,
I refer to the above and attach correspondence in relation to your request.
Kind regards,
Case Officer – Freedom of Information Section
Legal Advice and Legislation
Legal and Assurance Division | Corporate Operations Group
Australian Government, Department of Health and Aged Care
T: 02 6289 1666 | E: [email address]
PO Box 9848, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia
The Department of Health and Aged Care acknowledges the traditional owners of country throughout Australia, and their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to them and their cultures, and to elders both past and present.