Dispensing NPPAs

When a Named Patient Pharmaceutical Assessment (NPPA) or Exceptional Circumstances application is approved, a unique NPPA number is issued. This number authorises a pharmacy to dispense the specified pharmacodes of a medicine to the named patient.

• If the medicine is listed on the Pharmaceutical Schedule, the NPPA number overrides any restrictions associated with that listing on the Schedule.
• If the medicine is not listed on the Schedule, the NPPA number ensures that the claiming system processes the script according to the pharmacy’s contract and the medicine is claimed using its wholesale price.

Dispensing a NPPA

After selecting the medicine for a patient with a NPPA, the Dispensary program will prompt with the steps that need to be taken. 

• Either with:
  
• or a prompt to read the notes to the right of the entry fields:
  

Steps

1. Enter the NPPA number

   • Press F10 Other.
   • Select Special authority:
     
   • There may be a warning advising that the medicine is not marked for Special Authority. Acknowledge this by pressing R for Read.
   • Answer Yes to the Special Authority? prompt.
   • Then enter the Approval Number and Expiry Date of the NPPA.
      

2. Mark the script CBS

   • Press F10 Other (screenshot in step 1).
   • Select Quote cost, brand, source (uses w/s price).
   • The following will display on the bottom right of the script entry screen:
     
      

3. Set medicine cost

   • Press F2 Edit Med.
   • Set the Std W/S price to the GST exclusive per pack price. This cost can include extras, such as freight (also without GST), on the invoice:
     
     • Note: This is the price that is sent in the claim to calculate reimbursement. It is therefore vital to check the Std W/S price is correct at the time the medicine is being dispensed.

   • WARNING: In the medicine’s stock card, do not tick Quote CBS. Setting this can cause significant inaccuracies in pricing calculations for reimbursement.
      

4. Disable WS/PP Updates (optional)

   • Press F2 Edit Med then F11 Next Page twice.
   • Tick No WS/PP under Updates:
     
     • This prevents the monthly medicine update over-writing the Std W/S price that was enter from the invoice.
   • Note: If any of the No updates options are set on medicines, it is advised to run the User maintained medicines report regularly to check whether the settings are still valid. To create this report, go to:
     • 3. Reports, 3. Medicine reports, then 2. User maintained medicines.
     • Tick one of the No updates options per report (otherwise the report will only find medicines with all the ticked items).

Reviewed: 03/10/2025