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The Pharmacy Council of New South Wales announces improvements to the pharmacy ownership approval process and changes to pharmacy application and renewal fees. In this e-notice we provide information on the following changes: Elimination of lodgement dates; Electronic submission only of applications; New premises plan requirements; New applications fees. We also include a number of FAQs.
No more lodgement dates
From today, ownership application lodgement dates no longer apply. Complete and compliant applications will not need to go to a formal Council meeting which means that the majority of applications will be approved within 10 business days. An application that is incomplete or non-compliant will however take longer to assess and may need to be referred to a Council meeting for consideration. To avoid delay, applicants should ensure their application is complete and compliant and that all required documentation is provided in the correct format at the time of lodgement. Updated forms are available on the Council’s website. Please refer to The Guide, also available on the website, for help to complete the forms.
Applications must be submitted electronically from Monday 30 March
Due to the current COVID-19 situation, our office will be closed from Monday 30 March with staff working offsite. Hard copy mail will not be processed during this time. From today, all applications must be submitted electronically. Completed application forms are to be submitted by email to HPCA-PharmacyCouncil@health.nsw.gov.au. Once we have received your form, we will give you access to a secure portal for you to use to lodge your supporting documents. To assist at this challenging time, please ensure each attachment is titled with the document type. For example: Lease, Partnership agreement.
New premises plan requirements
From today, applications for new, relocated, or resized premises (pharmacy or professional services room) must include a detailed premises’ floor plan and a locational plan. This will ensure we have a clear understanding of the location and layout of proposed premises and reduce any uncertainty which may result in a delay. A Council Inspector will inspect premises as part of the approval process with reference to the plans submitted with the application. The address and layout of the premises must be described consistently throughout the application and in the supporting documents. Accordingly, the premises as inspected should be consistent with the plans and any supporting documents provided, such as the lease. Applicants should provide clear and consistent information as anomalies delay the final approval process.
Ownership application fee increase
New ownership fees apply from today. The Council funds its work to regulate pharmacy ownership and to maintain the NSW Register of Pharmacies from ownership application and pharmacy registration renewal fees paid by pharmacy owners. The new fees will ensure the Council can perform this work as required by legislation.
- The fee for premises applications is $550 (increased from $480). This applies to applications for new and relocated or substantially resized pharmacy premises and professional service rooms. The fee includes inspection of the premises.
- The fee for registration of a financial interest is $615 (increased from $550). Information in The Guide will help you calculate the fee for your particular application. Many applications involve registration of more than one financial interest and this fee applies for each new financial interest.
- The fee for annual renewal of registration of pharmacy premises is now:
- $415 (increased from $320) if lodged by the due date
- $515 (increased from $400) for late payment
Council President Dr Joyce Cooper said the increases were kept as low as possible however were necessary to allow the Council to effectively regulate community pharmacies in NSW. “The Council has seen an increase in the complexity of ownership business models over the past 4 to 5 years. This has led to a corresponding increase in the complexity of applications and associated commercial documentation requiring a more detailed legal assessment and review” she said.
“The Council has made considered projections of future costs,” Dr Cooper said. “The fee increases will assist the Council in its work in the regulation of pharmacy ownership in NSW.
The Council is committed to continuous process improvement. The changes to the application lodgement and approval process will result in quicker approvals for the majority of applications and the new requirements for premises and location plans will ensure clarity for pharmacy owners.
Link to the Health Practitioner Regulation (New South Wales) Amendment (Pharmacy Fees) Regulation 2020
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I submit my application
Email your application form to the Pharmacy Council email address HPCA-PharmacyCouncil@health.nsw.gov.au. Please don’t include the supporting documents (lease, agreements, finance documents etc) at this stage.
We will send you an acknowledgment email and provide you with instructions for submitting your supporting documents via a secure portal. Please make sure all attachments are titled appropriately (lease, partnership agreement, ASIC certificate etc.) This will make it easier for staff to process your application.
How long will it take to approve my application
Within 2 business days of receiving your application we will contact you to confirm we have received it.
Within 10 business days of receiving your application we will send you correspondence. We will either confirm that your application has been approved if it is complete and compliant; or if it is not, we will notify you of what you need to do next. If documents are outstanding, issues need to be rectified or if documentation requires legal review we will notify you.
What happens if my application requires legal review
We will let you know if your application needs extensive legal review. We will provide you with an approximate timeframe for the review and inform you of any associated costs.
What do I do if my application has been refused
Your application may be considered for refusal if we have notified you that you need to provide us with a document, or information you have provided us with is inadequate and one month after lodging your application we are still waiting for the necessary information or documentation.
If your application is refused, you may submit a new application or lodge an appeal against the decision in the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT).
If you would like to provide feedback or make a complaint about our administrative and business processes, email us at mail@pharmacycouncil.nsw.gov.au