What to expect when you bring your prescription to the hospital Pharmacy?

Our pharmacy dispenses prescriptions written by our hospital clinic doctors. When you visit, our team will:

• confirm your personal details (name, date of birth)
• check for any allergies
• ask about any other medications you are currently taking
• verify your Medicare card
• check your concession or pension card (if applicable)
• direct you to the cashier for payment before dispensing your medication

Prescription Charges

The cost of your medicines depends on whether you have a Medicare card and/or a concession or pension card. These charges are updated every year.

After making your payment, you will return to the pharmacy to collect your medications. Please note that we may not always be able to provide repeats on your prescription. The pharmacist will explain this when dispensing your medicine.

Patient Information and Support 

Our pharmacists are committed to ensuring you receive the right medication for you. We provide:

• guidance on how to use eye drops, ointments, and other medications
• written information about your prescribed medicines
• personalised advice—Ask for more information if you have any questions

What to expect from the pharmacist during your hospital stay

Our pharmacists work closely with doctors, nurses, and other healthcare staff to ensure your medications are used safely and effectively while you are in hospital. A pharmacist will visit you on the ward to:

• review your medication history and document the medicines you take at home
• ensure your medication list is accurate and tailored to your needs
• supply any medicines required during your hospital stay
• provide information about any new or adjusted medications
• monitor for allergies or side effects
• communicate any medication changes to your family doctor and community pharmacy, if needed

Medication Use in Hospital

The hospital will supply your medicines during your stay. Do not use any of your own medicines while you are in hospital.  The nurse will safely store your own medications and return them to you on discharge.

If a medication looks different from what you usually take, speak to your nurse before taking it.

Do not forget to ask for your medicines before you go home.

Preparing to go home

Before going home, the pharmacist will:

• explain how to take your medications correctly
• answer any questions you may have
• provide written information about new medications, if required
• contact your local pharmacy or doctor regarding your treatment, if necessary
• generally, only new medications started in hospital are supplied upon discharge. Only a maximum of a 7-day supply will be provided. You will need to see your family doctor for continued supply.

It is essential that you are aware of any new medications that have been started, any medications that have been stopped, or any changes made to your treatment.

What medicines should I bring to hospital?

Please bring all the medicines you are currently taking. Including:

• prescription medicines
• vver-the-counter medications
• herbal and complementary medicines
• inhalers/creams/eyedrops 

Will I be charged for medications?

Inpatients: No charge for medicines used in the hospital if you have a Medicare card or are from a country with a healthcare agreement with Australia.

Outpatients: If you present a prescription from our hospital clinic, you will need to pay for your medicines. Our pharmacy staff will inform you of the cost.

What do I need to bring with me?

• Medicare card
• Concession or pension card (if you have one)
• all medications you are currently taking, in their original packaging

Our team comprises of:

• Clinical Pharmacists who can provide specialised knowledge in medications and provide advice to patients and other Health Care Professionals on dosing, potential interactions, and side effects of different medications.
• Pharmacy technicians who are responsible for dispensing medications and ensuring their timely delivery to you. They also offer support to the pharmacists in undertaking patient care.
• Our store and administrative personnel who oversee medication inventory management and ensure medications are accessible within the hospital wards.

In addition to working with your healthcare team, we also partner with your general practitioner (GP) and Community Health Services, as well as local pharmacies.

• Medicare card
• Concession or pension card (if you have one)
• Bring all your medicines with you. This includes prescription medicines including puffers, eye drops and creams as well as those you have bought without a prescription (includes herbal and alternative medicines). Please bring the original boxes.

• The nurses in the hospital will be responsible for administering your medications. It is important not to self-administer your own medications while you are in the hospital unless instructed to do so by your nurse or pharmacist.
• During your hospital stay, your medications may change. You may commence on new medications and some medications may be discontinued. Your hospital doctors should always involve you in these decisions and provide information about your treatment options.
• When you are discharged from the hospital, the pharmacy department may provide you with a small supply of any new medications or medications with changed dosages. You will need to schedule an appointment with your GP within five days of leaving the hospital to obtain prescriptions for any ongoing or new medications you may require.
• Before you are discharged, your pharmacist, nurse, or doctor will explain the medications you need to take at home, how to take them, the duration of treatment, and proper storage. They may also provide you with a list of your medications.
• Information leaflets about each medication are also available to help you better understand your medications. If you have any questions or need more information about your medications, you can ask your nurse, midwife, or doctor to contact the pharmacist.
• If you wish to speak to a pharmacist before leaving the hospital, please inform the nursing staff so that they can arrange for a pharmacist to meet with you.

The brand names of medications may sometimes be different to your usual medications. The active ingredient is responsible for the effects of the medication. The brand name is the name assigned by the pharmaceutical company. There might be several different brand names for the same medication. Therefore, the medication you get in the hospital might look different and have a different name compared to the one you are given at home (the hospital may not stock the same brand you have at home). If you have any concerns talk to the pharmacist, nurse or doctor.

While you are in the hospital, a pharmacist or doctor might come to see you to discuss your medications. They will inquire about the medications you are currently prescribed, how you are taking them, and if you're encountering any problems. They may offer suggestions to make it easier for you to take your medications, and if any medicines are not providing the expected benefits, they may discontinue them. This is also an opportunity for you to have a conversation about your medications and ask any questions you may have. This process is known as a medication review.

When you are discharged from the hospital, it is important to inform your GP, community pharmacist, and other healthcare providers about any changes made to your medications during your hospital stay. If you have been provided with a list of your medications when you left the hospital, be sure to bring it with you when you visit your GP and community pharmacist so that they can update their records accordingly. If you no longer require a particular medication, bring any remaining doses back to your local pharmacy for proper disposal.

If you require guidance or have questions once you are back home, you can either consult your local community pharmacist or contact the hospital pharmacy by phone.

There is no charge for medicines used when you are an inpatient and have a Medicare card.

If you present to the pharmacy with a prescription from the outpatient clinic, there may be a charge for your medications. The pharmacy staff will let you know what those charges are.

Healthdirect - 1800 022 222

Healthdirect is a health information service in Australia. It offers online health information and advice.

MotherSafe - 9382 6539 (Sydney Metropolitan Area)  1800 647 848 (Non-Metropolitan Area)

Mothersafe is a free telephone service, based at the Royal Hospital for Women. It provides a counselling service for women concerned about exposures during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

NSW Poisons Information Centre - 13 11 26

The Poisons Information Centre provides the latest information on poisons. You can ring 24 hours a day.

Staying Safe with Your Medicines

Please let us know if you need an interpreter. You can contact us telephoning the Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS) on 131 450. Tell the operator what language you speak and then ask the interpreter to set up a telephone conversation between you, an interpreter, and the healthcare professional you want to speak with.

Our team includes:

Pharmacists who have expert knowledge about medicines including potential side effects, dosing and interactions between different drugs.

Pharmacy technicians who dispense medicines and make sure your medicines get to you when you need them. They also provide support to the Pharmacists.

Our store and administrative staff who manage our stock of medicines and ensure medications are available on the wards.

In addition to members of your healthcare team, we work in partnership with your general practitioner (GP), Prince of Wales Hospital and Community Health Services and local pharmacies.

It is important to keep a list of ALL the medicines that you take (including prescriptions medicines, vitamins, creams, eye drops, inhalers, patches, injections) and bring this list with you when you come to hospital. It is important to always keep this list up to date.

If you don't have a list, bring all your medicines in a bag, including any herbal or over the counter medicines.

If you do bring your medicines with you, your nurse may take them from you and store them safely. Make sure they are returned to you when you leave hospital. If you have a relative or carer they could also take the medicines home for you.

If you are admitted into hospital you will be asked what medicines you take (do not be concerned if you are asked more than once during your stay, we need to check we have the correct information). This helps us to make sure you receive the correct medicine while you are in hospital and helps us identify any potential medicine related problems. Please let us know if any of your medicines have changed recently.

If you are allergic or sensitive to some medicines please let your doctor, pharmacist or one of the nurses know so we can document this in your medical record and make sure you are not given any of these medicines.

The nurses will give you your medicines while you are in hospital. Do not take your own medicines while you are in hospital unless your nurse or pharmacist tells you to.

While you are in hospital you may be given some new medicines to take and asked to stop taking some of the medicines you normally take. Your hospital doctors should always include you in these decisions and provide you with information about your treatment options.

When you leave hospital the pharmacy department will only give you a small supply of any new medicines and medicines where the amount you need to take has changed. It is best to make an appointment to see your GP within 5 days of leaving hospital so that you can get prescriptions for any ongoing or new medicines if you need them.

When you leave hospital your pharmacist, nurse or doctor will explain what medicines you will need to take when you go home, how to take them, how long to take them for and how to store them safely. A medicines list may also be provided, or you can ask for one.

Information leaflets are also available on each medicine to help you understand your medicines better. You can ask your nurse or doctor to contact the pharmacist if you have any questions about your medicines or would like more information.

If you want to see a pharmacist before you leave hospital, please ask the nursing staff to arrange for the pharmacist to visit you.

Medicine names can be confusing. The active ingredient is the name of the chemical in the medicine that makes it work. The brand name is the name given by the pharmaceutical company.  There may be quite a few brands of the same medicine. The medicine you receive in hospital may look different to the one you receive at home because the hospital keeps a different brand in stock.

During your hospital stay a pharmacist or doctor may visit and go through your medicines with you. They will ask about your medicines to understand what you take and how you actually take them. They may talk to you about suggestions to help taking your medicines easier and medicines which are not working may be stopped. It is also a time to talk about your medicines and ask questions. This is called a medicines review. For more information, see this fact sheet. 

When you leave hospital it is important to let your GP, community pharmacist and other health professionals know if any changes were made to your medicines while you were in hospital. If you were given a medicines list when you left hospital take it with you when you go to your GP and community pharmacist so that they can update their records. If you no longer need to take a certain medicine then take any you still have at home to your local pharmacy to be destroyed.

If you need advice once you are at home, you can talk to your local pharmacist, or phone the hospital pharmacy.

Healthdirect - 1800 022 222

Healthdirect is a health information service in Australia. It offers online health information and advice.

MotherSafe - 9382 6539 (Sydney Metropolitan Area)  1800 647 848 (Non-Metropolitan Area)

Mothersafe is a free telephone service, based at the Royal Hospital for Women. It provides a counselling service for women concerned about exposures during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

NPS Medicines Line – 1300 633424

NPS Medicines Line is a telephone service providing information on medicines. When you call you will speak with an experienced registered nurse. Your question may be answered on the spot, or you may be referred to your GP or pharmacist, or another health professional.

Poisons Information Centre -131126

The Poisons Information Centre provides the latest information on poisons. You can ring 24 hours a day.

Staying Safe with Your Medicines

Please let us know if you need an interpreter. You can contact us telephoning the Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS) on 131 450. Tell the operator what language you speak and then ask the interpreter to set up a telephone conversation between you, an interpreter, and the healthcare professional you want to speak with.

We are a teaching hospital and you may be asked to be involved in research. You have a right to say no. If you do so, this will not impact in any way on the services we will provide.

Our team includes:

Pharmacists who have expert knowledge about medicines including potential side effects, dosing and interactions between different drugs.

Pharmacy technicians who dispense medicines and make sure your medicines get to you when you need them. They also provide support to the Pharmacists.

Our store and administrative staff who manage our stock of medicines and ensure medications are available on the wards.

In addition to members of your healthcare team, we work in partnership with your general practitioner (GP), Prince of Wales Hospital and Community Health Services and local pharmacies.

It is important to keep a list of ALL the medicines that you take (including prescriptions medicines, vitamins, creams, eye drops, inhalers, patches, injections) and bring this list with you when you come to hospital. It is important to always keep this list up to date.

If you don't have a list, bring all your medicines in a bag, including any herbal or over the counter medicines.

If you do bring your medicines with you, your nurse may take them from you and store them safely. Make sure they are returned to you when you leave hospital. If you have a relative or carer they could also take the medicines home for you.

If you are admitted into hospital you will be asked what medicines you take (do not be concerned if you are asked more than once during your stay, we need to check we have the correct information). This helps us to make sure you receive the correct medicine while you are in hospital and helps us identify any potential medicine related problems. Please let us know if any of your medicines have changed recently.

If you are allergic or sensitive to some medicines please let your doctor, pharmacist or one of the nurses know so we can document this in your medical record and make sure you are not given any of these medicines.

The nurses will give you your medicines while you are in hospital. Do not take your own medicines while you are in hospital unless your nurse or pharmacist tells you to.

While you are in hospital you may be given some new medicines to take and asked to stop taking some of the medicines you normally take. Your hospital doctors should always include you in these decisions and provide you with information about your treatment options.

When you leave hospital the pharmacy department will only give you a small supply of any new medicines and medicines where the amount you need to take has changed. It is best to make an appointment to see your GP within 5 days of leaving hospital so that you can get prescriptions for any ongoing or new medicines if you need them.

When you leave hospital your pharmacist, nurse or doctor will explain what medicines you will need to take when you go home, how to take them, how long to take them for and how to store them safely. A medicines list may also be provided, or you can ask for one.

Information leaflets are also available on each medicine to help you understand your medicines better. You can ask your nurse or doctor to contact the pharmacist if you have any questions about your medicines or would like more information.

If you want to see a pharmacist before you leave hospital, please ask the nursing staff to arrange for the pharmacist to visit you.

Medicine names can be confusing. The active ingredient is the name of the chemical in the medicine that makes it work. The brand name is the name given by the pharmaceutical company.  There may be quite a few brands of the same medicine. The medicine you receive in hospital may look different to the one you receive at home because the hospital keeps a different brand in stock.

During your hospital stay a pharmacist or doctor may visit and go through your medicines with you. They will ask about your medicines to understand what you take and how you actually take them. They may talk to you about suggestions to help taking your medicines easier and medicines which are not working may be stopped. It is also a time to talk about your medicines and ask questions. This is called a medicines review. For more information, see this fact sheet. 

When you leave hospital it is important to let your GP, community pharmacist and other health professionals know if any changes were made to your medicines while you were in hospital. If you were given a medicines list when you left hospital take it with you when you go to your GP and community pharmacist so that they can update their records. If you no longer need to take a certain medicine then take any you still have at home to your local pharmacy to be destroyed.

If you need advice once you are at home, you can talk to your local pharmacist, or phone the hospital pharmacy.

Healthdirect - 1800 022 222

Healthdirect is a health information service in Australia. It offers online health information and advice.

MotherSafe - 9382 6539 (Sydney Metropolitan Area)  1800 647 848 (Non-Metropolitan Area)

Mothersafe is a free telephone service, based at the Royal Hospital for Women. It provides a counselling service for women concerned about exposures during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

NPS Medicines Line – 1300 633424

NPS Medicines Line is a telephone service providing information on medicines. When you call you will speak with an experienced registered nurse. Your question may be answered on the spot, or you may be referred to your GP or pharmacist, or another health professional.

Poisons Information Centre -131126

The Poisons Information Centre provides the latest information on poisons. You can ring 24 hours a day.

Staying Safe with Your Medicines

Please let us know if you need an interpreter. You can contact us telephoning the Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS) on 131 450. Tell the operator what language you speak and then ask the interpreter to set up a telephone conversation between you, an interpreter, and the healthcare professional you want to speak with.

We are a teaching hospital and you may be asked to be involved in research. You have a right to say no. If you do so, this will not impact in any way on the services we will provide.