Pharmacy

The St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney Pharmacy Department provides a complete pharmacy service, supplying appropriate medications for all patients of St Vincent's in a safe, timely and cost-effective way.

Services include:

• Clinical pharmacy services
• Inpatient and outpatient pharmacy services
• Drug information
• Clinical trial services
• Drug usage evaluation
• Research and teaching activities

Inpatient and Clinical Pharmacy Service

The Inpatient Pharmacy is responsible for the supply and dispensing of all medicines to inpatients and for the supply of medicines on discharge.

Our clinical pharmacy service is provided to all inpatients, with clinical pharmacists visiting wards to review medication charts, monitor drug therapy and facilitate the supply of medicines.

Clinical pharmacists also advise on safe, effective and economical use of medicines, provide medication counselling where appropriate and provide drug information to medical, nursing and Allied Health staff.

Outpatient Pharmacy Services

The Outpatient Pharmacy provides services for registered patients attending outpatient clinics or receiving treatment within St Vincent's Hospital. 

This pharmacy dispenses medicines under the Section 100 (s100) Highly Specialised Drugs (HSD) program of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) for patients of consultants of St Vincent’s Hospital and Authorised General Practitioners. The Pharmacy also provides a restricted range of non-PBS medicines which are not freely available at community pharmacies and medicines which have been approved under the Individual Patient Usage scheme.

Outpatient medication charges - valid 1 January 2020 to 31 December 2020

NSW Health - Information Bulletin IB2019_049 - Pharmaceutical Charges for Hospital Outpatients and Safety Net Thresholds

From 1 October 2015, NSW residents who are patients of NSW public hospitals or authorised community prescribers in NSW will not be required to pay the patient co-payments for s100 HSD or s100 injectable and infusible chemotherapy medicines in NSW. These co-payments will be paid by the NSW Government. 

The changes apply regardless of whether prescriptions are filled through NSW public hospitals, NSW community pharmacies or pharmacies used by NSW public hospital oncology services. Co-payments paid by the NSW Government will count towards the patient safety net. Where a co-payment is applicable, it will be charged for each item dispensed. For example, if you require 2 strengths of one medication, you will be required to pay 2 co-payments.

Outpatient medication co-payment charges for patients with an Australian Medicare card (2018):

Safety Net threshold (General): $1486.80          Safety Net threshold (Concession/DVA): $316.80

*For more information, see the Department of Veterans' Affairs website

Exceptions: The following medications are supplied to eligible patients at no charge:

• Medications specifically for Tuberculosis (TB), sexually transmitted diseases (STD), leprosy patients, patients attending a Sexual Assault Service.
• Clinical trial medication (where funded by the drug company or sponsor).

Information on current arrangements regarding Reciprocal Health Care Agreements is available here. 

Outpatient Pharmacy Opening Hours

Important Notice

Please be advised that effective 1st December 2015, the St Vincent’s Hospital Outpatient Pharmacy will close at: 5:00pm, instead of: 7:00pm on Thursdays.

For your convenience an extended range of medications is now available at community pharmacies. Please ask one of our pharmacists for advice on accessing these medications after hours.

The Outpatient Pharmacy opening hours are as follows:

Monday to Friday: 9am - 5pm 

Please note that the Outpatient Pharmacy is closed on Saturdays, Sundays, and Public Holidays.