Online Prescriptions Australia
1GP provides online prescriptions through a phone or video consultation with an Ahpra-registered doctor, from anywhere in Australia. Whether you need a repeat of a medicine you already take or treatment for a new health concern, your doctor will review your health and decide whether a prescription is clinically appropriate. If it is, your eScript is sent to your phone by SMS or email, ready to take to a pharmacy.
Prescriptions start with a consultation
Online prescriptions at 1GP are issued through a real-time consultation with a doctor, by phone or video. During your consultation, your doctor will review your medical history, your symptoms and the medicines you currently take, check for possible interactions, and talk through the benefits and risks of any treatment before deciding whether to prescribe.
How online prescriptions work at 1GP
- Book a consultation. Choose a time that suits you and select a phone or video consultation.
- Share your health details. Complete a short health intake, including the medicines you take and the reason for your visit.
- Speak with your doctor. Your doctor will confirm your identity and your Medicare or Individual Healthcare Identifier (IHI) details, review your health and discuss your options with you.
- Receive your eScript. If a prescription is clinically appropriate, your eScript is sent to you by SMS or email.
Before your consultation, have your Medicare card or IHI details ready, along with a list of the medicines you take and their doses. If you are unsure of a medicine’s name or strength, keep the box or packet nearby.
Repeat prescriptions for ongoing conditions
An online GP consultation can cover many everyday health needs, including:
If you take a medicine regularly for a long-term condition, your doctor can review how it is working for you and whether it is still the right choice, and provide a repeat prescription where appropriate. This can help if you manage an ongoing condition such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, asthma or a thyroid condition, or if you use contraception.
Regular review is part of safe prescribing. If your doctor needs more information first, such as recent blood test results, they may arrange pathology tests or recommend a review with your regular GP before prescribing.
For ongoing support with a long-term condition, see chronic disease management.
New prescriptions
If you have a new health concern, your doctor will assess your symptoms and medical history during your consultation. If a medicine is the right treatment and it can be safely prescribed by telehealth, your doctor can provide a new prescription. Some concerns need a physical examination or tests first, and your doctor will tell you if that applies to you.
Questions about your medicines
A consultation is also a chance to talk through the medicines you already take, including how to take them, possible side effects and interactions with other medicines.
How electronic prescriptions (eScripts) work in Australia
An eScript is an electronic prescription. Instead of a paper script, you receive a secure token, usually a QR code, by SMS or email. An eScript from an online GP works the same way as one from your local clinic.
- Taking it to a pharmacy. Show the token at a pharmacy of your choice, or forward it to your preferred pharmacy so they can prepare your medicine.
- Repeats. If your prescription includes repeats, you will receive a new token for the next repeat each time your medicine is dispensed.
- Validity. Most prescriptions are valid for 12 months from the date they are written, although some medicines have shorter limits.
- Keeping your token safe. Treat your token like a paper prescription, as anyone who has it can take it to a pharmacy.
- PBS medicines. If your medicine is listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) and you have provided your Medicare details, you will generally pay the PBS co-payment at the pharmacy.
Medicines that cannot be prescribed through 1GP
Some medicines cannot be prescribed through 1GP, including Schedule 8 medicines and certain other medicines with a higher risk of dependence or misuse. These medicines need close, ongoing oversight from a doctor who knows your history well. If you take one of these medicines, your doctor will explain your options and may recommend seeing your regular GP in person.
Your doctor's clinical judgement comes first
Every prescription is issued at your doctor’s clinical discretion, and a prescription cannot be guaranteed before your consultation. Your doctor will give you an honest clinical opinion. That may mean recommending a different treatment, further tests or an in-person review instead of a prescription.
Medicine safety and emergencies
1GP is not an emergency service. If you have chest pain, difficulty breathing, severe bleeding, signs of a stroke or any other life-threatening symptoms, call 000 immediately or go to your nearest emergency department.
If you think you or someone else has taken too much of a medicine, or you are having a serious reaction to one, call 000 or the Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26.
Book a consultation about your prescription
Book a phone or video consultation online and your doctor will review your needs with you. For general enquiries, email support@1gp.au.
Telehealth is not suitable for emergencies. In an emergency, call 000.