Big change coming to online prescription services

Online doctors will be banned from prescribing drugs to patients they have never spoken to in-person amid warnings a "tick and flick" model could be fatal.

Australian Medical Association NSW President, Dr Michael Bonning, told Today Extra while there is a platform for this type of service for patients to ease pressure on GPs, "good clinical practice" is key to making it work properly.

"That needs to underpin all of this and where all you have is some text chat - that doesn't give us the standard we need to actually deliver good holistic care to a patient," he said.

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"There is a place for services that meet consumer needs and it should also drive GPs and the health industry as a whole to get better at meeting those needs."

Under the new regulations, Dr Bonning said services will be required to have video or other face-to-face style appointments before continuing with that model of care.

"What we will also see, which will improve things, is an extension to 12 months for many scripts so people won't be having to jump online at the last-minute - they can have a much longer script from their GP," he said.

See what else Dr Bonning had to say in the video above

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