Stimulant medicines

A patient may only be under treatment with stimulants by one approved stimulant prescriber at a time. Before commencing treatment a prescriber must notify the Department of Health using the Notification of treatment: Stimulant medicines form (Word 172KB).

Please ensure the patient factsheet (PDF 84KB) is handed to all patients.

When the Department receives a new notification for an existing patient this cancels all existing notifications. The Department will inform the previous stimulant prescriber.

When prescribers are ceasing treatment with stimulants a form for termination should be submitted.

Any treatment that is outside the Schedule 8 Medicines Prescribing Code (Word 370KB) requires prior authorisation by the Department of Health for each individual patient. Circumstances requiring approval in the Code include:

• unapproved conditions
• non-specialist prescribers
• exceeding maximum treatment doses
• any child under 4 and prescribers who specialise in adults wishing to treat children
• patients with psychiatric co-morbidities or substance abuse.

Applications must be submitted by an approved stimulant prescriber using the Application for authorisation: Stimulant medicines form (Word 1.62 MB). Applications must include treatment rationale, evidence to support unapproved indications, urine drug screens and other materials as specified. All applications are assessed by the Stimulant Assessment Panel.

To determine the total daily stimulant dose as dexamfetamine equivalents (DEq), please use the: 'Dex-Equiv Dose- Converter'

The maximum total daily dose of stimulants should equate to 60mg dexamfetamine.

In emergency circumstances, where a patient’s approved stimulant prescriber is not available, other medical practitioners may apply for short-term authority to prescribe. Authority may be provided where there are exceptional circumstances, to maintain continuity of treatment. This may include interstate and overseas travellers or persons already under treatment who are relocating to WA.

To apply, medical practitioners must complete the Application for interim authorisation: Stimulant medicines form (Word 816KB) and include:

• name of specialist and patient appointment; and/or
• evidence of current treatment and information on primary condition for interstate and overseas patients.

The Health (Notification of Stimulant Induced Psychosis) Regulations 2010 (external site) requires medical practitioners to notify the Department of any person believed to have stimulant induced psychosis.

To notify the Department the medical practitioner must use the Notification: Stimulant induced psychosis form (Word 809KB).

A clinic at a health service facility may apply to become an approved stimulant clinic. This allows any approved stimulant practitioners at the clinic to prescribe for a notified patient, from time to time, without needing to re-notify.

Clinics must nominate a senior member of staff or an approved specialist to advise the Department of prescriber movements at the clinic.

Clinic prescribers must otherwise adhere to the Schedule 8 Medicines Prescribing Code and notify the Department of Health at commencement of treatment for each patient.

An Application for Public Sector Clinic form (Word 795KB) must be completed to register a clinic.

The Western Australian Stimulant Regulatory Scheme Annual Report presents data generated through the implementation of the Stimulant Regulatory Scheme.

• Western Australian Stimulant Regulatory Scheme 2020 Annual Report (PDF 1MB)
• Western Australian Stimulant Regulatory Scheme 2019 Annual Report (PDF 1MB)
• Western Australian Stimulant Regulatory Scheme 2018 Annual Report (PDF 1MB)
• Western Australian Stimulant Regulatory Scheme 2017 Annual Report (PDF 1MB)

The Department monitors overall prescribing patterns as well as individual patient activities for:

• Prescribing is not consistent with the Code
• Prescribing without notification or authorisation
• Prescribing that does not match an authority issued
• Multiple prescribers (at different practices) are involved.