Bendigo Health Pharmacy

What we do

The main role of pharmacy is to promote the safe and effective use of medication by:

• Working with the healthcare team to ensure the selection of the best medication at the correct dose for an appropriate duration
• Monitoring and preventing or minimising side effects and drug interactions
• Providing medication counselling to patients
• Dispensing medications for patients in wards, the emergency department and those attending outpatient clinics
• Manufacturing specialised medications such as chemotherapy for cancer treatment, mixtures and creams
• Offering specialist drug therapy advice to doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals within the hospital

Who we care for

Hospital inpatients, outpatients and emergency department patients, as well as specific groups that require public hospital access medicines.

Commonly asked questions

What do I need to bring when I go to hospital?

When going into hospital, where possible, please bring the following with you:

• Your current medicines
• Your updated medicines list
• Your allergy history
• Your Medicare card, Concession card, Safety Net card
• Your local doctor’s details

Do I need to pay for medicines in hospital?

You will not be charged for medicines supplied when you have been admitted as a patient. When you are discharged from the hospital the doctors may need to write a prescription which can be dispensed at the pharmacy.

It will incur the same PBS co-payment as community pharmacies. The amount you pay, even for non-PBS medications, can contribute to your safety net threshold for the calendar year.

If you have any of the following cards, please bring with these with you when presenting your prescription to the pharmacy department:

• Medicare card/ Healthcare card/ Repat card/ Safety net card/ Pensioner concession card/ Commonwealth Seniors Health card

Remember to be wise with your medicines.

Make sure you get advice from your doctor or pharmacist if you are unsure about your medicines. Some common questions are:

• What is the medicine supposed to do?
• How do I take the medicine?
• How long do I keep taking it?
• Are there foods, drinks or other medicines that I should avoid?
• What if I miss a dose?
• Are there any side effects and what should I do if they occur?
• How do I best store the medicine?