First aid kit licence
Registered nurses or ambulance paramedics may need this licence to deal with scheduled medicines in administering first aid to the community as part of their occupation.
As a first aid kit licence holder you can:
- issue a complying purchase order for an authorised medicine for a first aid kit
- obtain on a purchase order an authorised medicine for a first aid kit.
An authorised medicine is a medicine stated in a first aid kit licence, pharmacy or pharmacist only medicine for kit.
A first aid kit licence holder or others authorised under the licence can:
- possess an authorised medicine as part of a first aid kit for the emergency treatment of a person’s medical condition
- supply an authorised medicine to someone who is authorised under the licence to administer the medicine
- administer an authorised medicine in a first aid kit if they believe on reasonable grounds that the medicine is necessary for the emergency treatment of a person’s medical condition.
As the licence holder, it is your responsibility to order and receive controlled medicines and prescription only medicines. Other staff are not authorised to do this.
Storage
Controlled medicines
As a licence holder you must ensure you are authorised to be in possession of a controlled medicine.
When transported for use in another location, controlled medicines must be stored in a locked first aid kit in your possession.
If the kit is out of your possession for a brief period, it should secured, be out of sight in a locked facility like a lockable vehicle or cupboard, to prevent unauthorised access.
Controlled medicines must otherwise be stored in a locked container that prevents ready access to the contents and is securely attached to a building. Keys and combinations must not be accessible to, or known, by unauthorised people.
Prescription only medicines
Prescription only medicines must be stored in a lockable storage facility, like a cupboard, drawer, fridge, filing cabinet, treatment room or storeroom, when they are not being transported in a first aid kit.
A treatment room or storeroom does not have to be locked if a licence holder is present. It is their responsibility to prevent or restrict unauthorised access if a room is unlocked.
Prescription only medicines which require refrigeration must be secured in a lockable refrigerator, unless the refrigerator is secured within a lockable room.
Pharmacist only and pharmacy medicines
Licence holders may administer pharmacist only and pharmacy medicines in a similar manner to prescription only medicines, for the treatment of patients under their care.
To prevent unlawful supply or access, pharmacist only and pharmacy medicines must be stored and handled in a similar manner to prescription only medicines.
Destruction
As a licence holder, if you wish to destroy expired or unwanted controlled medicines, the destruction must be witnessed by someone prescribed under Section 545 of the Medicines, Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Regulation 2008.
Both of you must sign the controlled medicines register.
Record keeping
You must be able to easily retrieve records of all dealings with controlled medicines for 2 years. These should show the accurate balance remaining after each dealing and be in a form that cannot be altered without detection. Loose leaf books are not recommended.
You must keep a compliant controlled medicines register where controlled medicines are kept. Each page in a controlled medicines register must relate to a single form and strength of a controlled medicine.
A first aid kit register is required for each first aid kit licence.
Inspections, reporting and theft
Controlled medicines registers and other recording and storage arrangements may be the subject of inspections under the Medicines, Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Act 2008.
You must notify ACT Health when controlled medicines are lost or stolen and report theft to police.
Apply for a licence
You can apply for a first aid kit licence by completing a medicines, poisons and therapeutic goods licence application.