Pharmacy Guild of Australia

1. In your submission you note that 94% of pharmacies in the NT are usingProject STOP.

a. How many pharmacies does this equate to ?

There are currently 35 pharmacies in the NT. 33 pharmacies are using Project

STOP.

b. Do you have any information regarding the reasons why the remaining

pharmacies are not using Project STOP?

There are 2 pharmacies that are not using Project STOP. Both these pharmacies

are not members of the Pharmacy Guild of Australia and as such are required to

pay an annual fee of $300 to use the Guild developed and owned Project STOP

software. (There are only 3 pharmacies in the NT who are not members of the

Pharmacy Guild) The cost may have contributed to their decision not to use

Project STOP.

It also takes a considerable amount of time to process a purchase through

Project STOP - up to 5 minutes to enter all the details on the drivers license (full

name, DOB, address, full name and quantity of product). It is much quicker to

hand-write details on a register or photocopy a drivers license. While ever

Project STOP is not mandatory busy pharmacy staff will choose quicker

alternatives.

Their decision may also have been impacted by the low quantity of

pseudoephedrine containing products that they sell.

c. How is Project STOP currently funded?

Project STOP was developed by the Pharmacy Guild of Australia and its

maintenance is now managed by the Pharmacy Guild's IT company GuildLink.

As such, the maintenance of the Project STOP tool is funded entirely by

GuildLink (nationally the cost to maintain the platform is approximately $400k per

annum), with the exception of pharmacies who are not members of the Pharmacy

Guild and are charged an annual fee of $300 to use Project STOP. This only

partially covers the cost to maintain the platform (25-30% of the overall cost only).

In every state and territory in Australia the police have real-time online access to

the Project STOP database. Project STOP sends alerts to the police by email

and even by SMS if there is evidence of 'pseudo-runners' moving between

pharmacies in a particular area or if particular suspects purchase

pseudoephedrine products. The information and notification service provided by

Project STOP is currently provided at no cost to the police.

Due to the lack of support funding Project STOP is currently only being

maintained - not improved or developed further.

2. The Committee understands that Project STOP has been operating since2007.

a. What evidence is there to suggest that Project STOP is an effective means of

limiting access to precursors for illicit purposes?

We have received anecdotal advice from the police that information provided to

them through Project STOP has led to a number of arrests and busts on back

yard drug labs. They have also advised anecdotally that the amount of illicit

methamphetamines being manufactured has reduced whilst the quantity of

finished product being imported from interstate or overseas has increased to

compensate. Police have also advised that the intelligence they are able to

collect through Project STOP is extremely valuable and has enabled them to map

and track criminal networks.

The police would be able to provide more information in relation to this question.

Pharmacies have advised us in the past that the number of people using

Evidence of Age cards to purchase pseudoephedrine had substantially

increased. At this time (the peak was in 2013) the police were not able to track

the users of these cards since the card does not contain an address and was

linked into a different electronic system. We discussed this with the police at the

time who felt that it was the effectiveness of Project STOP that had encouraged

this new practice. Please see our member eBulletin article below from December

2013 detailing this issue:

A number of members have reported an increasing number of adults using NT Evidence of Age (18plus) cards rather than a Driver's License when purchasing pseudoephedrine containingproducts. Often these adults are well over 18 i.e. cJoser to 40 years old. It js more difficult forpolice to frack the users of tt0ver 18 cards" as the card does not contain an address.

Pharmacies are advised that NT Police, Poisons Control and the Pharmacy Guild are aware of thesetrends and working towards a solution. In the meantime pharmacy staff could consider (a) asking foranother form of photo ID; or (2) asking for proof of address from another form of identification orfrom mail.

There also continue to be instances of runners obtaining prescriptions for pseudoephednne containingproducts. It Is appropriate to record the supply on a prescription in Project STOP as well as yourdispensing database if you are concerned, that way you can be assured that the police are receivingall the information.

If you are concerned that one of your customers may be diverting pseudoephedrine for Hlldt use andthat they might be using an Evidence of Age Card or false identification to escape detection thenplease contact the NT Police Drug and Organised Crime Squad.

Please email ChemDesk@pfes.nt.gov.au and someone from the Drug Diversion Unit will respond toyour enquiry. Any information received wilt be treated as confidential. If you would prefer to speakdirectly to someone from the Drug Diversion Desk please cat! 8922 3169. Please remember this doesnot replace the normal channels of communication, If the issue being reported requires urgent policeattention please continue to call 131 444 or 000.

Please dlstrfbute this information to aff of your staff to ensure a ff are aware of theprocess.

b. How does mandating real time online recording of pseudoephedrine sales impacton the effectiveness of Project STOP?

The real value of Project STOP is in the data it contains on sales of

pseudoephedrine. The police do NOT see hand written records of

pseudoephdrine sales unless they enter a pharmacy and ask to see it. Whilst

ever it is not mandatory there will be data missing that may be useful to the police

and law enforcement. Whilst ever it is not mandatory to use this tool, busy

pharmacy staff will at times use alternate, faster, paper-based recording. This

occurs even in pharmacies who have access to Project STOP when there is a

sudden influx of customers or on a really busy day. Often the hand-written record

may not be entered into Project STOP even when there is time as it is not

mandatory therefore not a priority.

c. Has there been any increase in the percentage of sales that have been denied or

recorded as safety sales since the program was first implemented?

Some recent data regarding the number of sales (including the number of safety

sales and denied sales) is provided in the powerpoint attachment.

3. Research indicates that pharmacists are often the first port of call formany drug users who may otherwise not seek general or specialist healthor treatment services.

a. What training is available to pharmacists and support staff on the properties and

effects of ice?

Pharmacists are trained to understand the effects of amphetamines (both

therapeutic and illicit) and regularly deal with drug addiction, treatment for drug

addictions as well as drug seeking behaviour. However, there is no specific

training available to pharmacists or pharmacy staff on the properties and effects

of ice at this time.

b. Is health information on ice readily available from pharmacies?

Currently there is no standardised information regarding Ice available from

pharmacies.

c. How could the promotion of information and available services be improved?

Pharmacies are well placed to provide fact sheets, printed information and

referral information for families and carers of people affected by Ice. This

information could include local and interstate treatment services, respite care

options for carers and family, emergency management of psychotic episodes.

PROJECT STOP TM

The PharmacyGuild of Australia

I--€

*!rIV

ProjectSTOP Current Registrations

State

ACTNSW

NT

QLDSA

TAS

vie

WA

Total

Registered) Pharmacies in State]

68

1105

33

1028

409

134

988

553

4318]

75

1899

35

1160

478

152

1327

604

>730!

90.67%

58.19%

94.29%

88.62%

85.56%

88.16%

74.45%

91.56%

75.360/a

PROJECTf 1STOP The PharmacyGuild of Australia

ProjectSTOP Sales Breakdown by State(1/9/2014 to 1/9/2015)

State

NT

SA

vie

WA

ACTNSW

QLD

TAS

Supplied I Denied) Safety! Unknown | Total

24858

75174

534672

449874

68053

610646

488637

69844

321758

188

445

5151

1506

139

1765

6791

309

16294

270

479

3058

5523

311

2101

6907

136

18785

323

1356

10346

5213

759

7785

9526

1022

36330

25639

77454

553227

462116

69262

622297

511861

71311

239316^

PROJECTflSTOP The PharmacyGuild of Australia

ProjectSTOP YTD Monthly Transactions

[Month Period | Unique)

2015-1

2015-2

2015-3

2015-4

2015-5

2015-6

2015-7

2015-8

2015-9

PROIECT(

Pharmaciesl

3727

3771

3833

3864

3921

3919

3948

3950

3212

ISTOP

Transactions I

110206

116202

166009

195947

251598

264180

296827

311998

23193

• The PharmacyGuild of Australia

ProjectSTOP Registrations - NT

State

NT

Total

Registered]

33

Pharmacies in State!

35 94.29%

94.29°/o!

PROJECTflSTOP The PharmacyGuild of Australia

TOP Transactions by Day - NT(1/8/2015 to 3/9/2015)

Transactions

PROJECTf 1STOP

01/08/201502/08/201503/08/201504/08/201505/08/201506/08/201507/08/201508/08/201509/08/201510/08/201511/08/201512/08/201513/08/201514/08/201515/08/201516/08/201517/08/201518/08/201519/08/201520/08/2015

21/08/201522/08/201523/08/201524/08/201525/08/201526/08/201527/08/201528/08/201529/08/201530/08/201531/08/201501/09/201502/09/201503/09/2015

NT

NT

NT

NT

NT

NT

NT

NT

NT

NT

NT

NT

NT

NT

NT

NT

NT

NT

NT

NT

NT

NTNT

NT

NT

NT

NT

NT

NT

NTNT

NT

NT

NT

61

58

55

Ill

98

Ill

120

105

97

85

97

8380

80

92

95

104

108

110

90

93

9580

114

78

101

108

75

77

6189

104

90

27

3032

The PharmacyGuild of Australia