June 2020

Important notice to proprietors and holders of a financial interest in a pharmacy business – annual requirements.

If you are an owner or held an interest in a NSW pharmacy business during the past year, you must

• ensure the annual renew of registration of your pharmacy premises is paid; and
• complete a declaration of your financial interest in a pharmacy business (no fee)

The due date for both is 30 June 2020.

Recently we sent two separate notices by email:

1. To your pharmacy email address - the Annual Renewal notice for your pharmacy renewal payment
2. To your personal email address - your Annual Declaration of Financial Interest to be completed.

Payment of the pharmacy renewal fee and completion of your annual declaration may only be achieved online via the Council’s website.

Annual renewal notices, receipts and certificates of registration will be sent by email to the pharmacy email address listed in the Register of Pharmacies. Covid-19 has led to a change in our processes. Notices, receipts and certificates will not be sent by post as in previous years.

Annual Renewal of Pharmacy Premises Registration

By paying the annual renewal of pharmacy premises registration your pharmacy will maintain current approval and will remain on the Register of Pharmacies. Annual renewal payments are due by 30 June each year.

If payment is not received by the due date, your pharmacy will no longer be subject to current approval of the Council.

• Annual renewal payments made by 30 June 2020 will result in the approval of pharmacy premises to 30 June 2021
• Annual Renewal payments made during July will incur a late fee. Payment of the renewal fee and the late fee will result in the approval of pharmacy premises to 30 June 2021
• Annual renewal payments not received by 31 July -  payment will not be accepted after 31 July. Approval of pharmacy premises will be revoked and the pharmacy will be removed from the Register of Pharmacies. Proprietors wishing to obtain a current approval will be required to submit an application for a new pharmacy.

Renewal payments may be made online through the Council’s website. Users will be requested to login using the username (PC number of the pharmacy) and password. If you have forgotten your password you can access ‘forgot my password’ and a password will be generated for you. 

Declarations of financial interest in a pharmacy business

If you held a financial interest in a NSW pharmacy business at any time between 1 May 2019 and 30 April 2020, you must complete an annual declaration of financial interest whether or not you sold your pharmacy or disposed of your interest during that period.

Annual declarations may now be completed online via the Council’s website and must be completed by 30 June 2020.

Instructions for using the online facility

Instructions for using the online facility are provided with the emailed Annual Declaration notice.

• Financial interest holders must register to use the online facility. You will need your AHPRA registration number and email address to register.
• Once you have registered you will be asked to create a password. Then enter your password at the login page to start the declaration process.
• Information you provide will be matched against information held in the Register of Pharmacies. You will be notified if there is a mismatch.
• Once you have completed your declaration you will be asked to declare the information is true and complete. By confirming ‘I agree’, your declaration will be submitted.

You can visit https://declare.pharmacycouncil.nsw.gov.au at any time before the due date to register or to login and complete your declaration.

If you are unsure as to how you hold your financial interest, you can search the Register of Pharmacies at www.pharmacycouncil.nsw.gov.au.

What is a financial interest?

You hold a financial interest in a NSW pharmacy business if you have a direct or indirect monetary interest in that business. Holders of a financial interest include pharmacist proprietors, pharmacists who are partners in a pharmacists’ partnership that owns a pharmacy, pharmacists who are shareholders or directors in a pharmacists’ body corporate that owns a pharmacy, and beneficiaries of a trust that operates in respect of a pharmacists’ body corporate that owns a pharmacy.

There is no fee payable

There is no fee attached to the annual declaration of financial interest process. The annual declaration process is separate to the pharmacy premises registration renewal process.