F2024L00414 Explained: A Plain English Walkthrough of the Prescriber Bag Supplies Determination 2024

This article is for AHPRA registered medical practitioners, authorised nurse practitioners, and endorsed midwives who hold or are eligible to hold PBS prescribing authority. It is a plain English summary of a Commonwealth legislative instrument. It does not constitute medical, pharmaceutical, or legal advice. Always cross check the current compiled text on the Federal Register of Legislation and the live PBS Prescriber Bag schedule before placing an order.

F2024L00414 at a Glance

• Full name: National Health (Prescriber Bag Supplies) Determination 2024
• Alternate citation: PB 29 of 2024
• Made under: sections 93 and 93AB of the National Health Act 1953 (Cth)
• Commencement: 1 April 2024
• Latest compiled version: F2026C00333 (compilation 9), effective from 1 April 2026
• Operational sections: sections 6 (authorisation) and 7 (maximum quantity)
• Schedule 1: lists every eligible drug and form, its Group Number, prescriber codes (MP, NP, MW), and the monthly maximum quantity
• Endorsed midwife items (MW code): added by amendment with effect from 1 February 2025
• Most recent stakeholder review: PBAC November 2025 (recommendations being implemented through further amending Determinations)

What This Walkthrough Covers

1. What F2024L00414 actually is
2. The legal hierarchy from Act to live PBS schedule
3. Part 1 of the Determination: sections 1 to 5
4. Section 6: who is authorised to supply
5. Section 7: maximum quantity and the group rule
6. Schedule 1: how to read the table
7. Amendments since 1 April 2024
8. How F2024L00414 applies when you place an order
9. Frequently asked questions

For the broader scheme context, see our complete guide to the PBS Doctor's Bag scheme. For the application process for your order book, see our HPOS order book guide. For prescriber type specific eligibility, see our guide for nurse practitioners and endorsed midwives.

1. What F2024L00414 Actually Is

F2024L00414 is the Federal Register of Legislation identifier for the National Health (Prescriber Bag Supplies) Determination 2024. The instrument can also be cited as PB 29 of 2024, using the Department of Health and Aged Care's internal PB numbering for PBS related instruments. It was signed on 27 March 2024 and commenced on 1 April 2024.

The Determination replaced the previous 2012 Prescriber Bag Determination, which had sunsetted under the Legislation Act 2003. In plain terms, F2024L00414 is the operational rulebook that exercises the Minister's power under the National Health Act 1953 to determine exactly which PBS medicines are available through the prescriber bag pathway, which prescriber types can supply them, and how many units can be obtained each calendar month.

Three things worth knowing before you read further

• F2024L00414 is short. It has seven numbered sections and one schedule. The day to day operational substance sits in sections 6 and 7, and in Schedule 1.
• The instrument as originally made covered medical practitioners and authorised nurse practitioners only. Authorisation for endorsed midwives was added by amendment, with the most significant changes commencing on 1 February 2025.
• The text on the Federal Register has been compiled multiple times since 1 April 2024. The current compiled version, F2026C00333, was registered as compilation 9 and reflects amendments to 1 April 2026. The live PBS Prescriber Bag schedule remains the most practical reference for current state.

2. The Legal Hierarchy: From the Act to the Live PBS Schedule

F2024L00414 does not sit alone. To understand what it does and why it looks the way it does, place it in the legislative chain:

1. National Health Act 1953 (Cth). The primary Act. Sections 93, 93AA, and 93AB authorise medical practitioners, authorised midwives, and authorised nurse practitioners respectively to supply pharmaceutical benefits as determined by the Minister. Each section requires a legislative instrument to specify exactly which medicines apply.
2. National Health (Pharmaceutical Benefits) Regulations 2017 (Cth). The supporting regulations. Regulation 33 governs the supply order book process. Subsection 33(3A), inserted by the National Health (Pharmaceutical Benefits) Amendment (2024 Measures No. 1) Regulations 2024 (F2024L00380), contains the stock on hand rule that limits what you can obtain based on what you already hold.
3. F2024L00414 (this instrument). The operational detail: the eligible drugs and forms, the prescriber codes authorised for each, the calendar month maximum quantity per item, and the group structure that controls substitution between related items.
4. The live PBS Prescriber Bag schedule. Published at pbs.gov.au/browse/doctorsbag. This is the most accessible day to day reference and reflects the consolidated Schedule 1 as amended.

On its own, F2024L00414 authorises nothing. The Act creates the underlying authorisation. The Determination merely fills in the operational detail the Act requires.

3. Part 1 of the Determination: Preliminary Sections

Part 1 is the housekeeping section. None of it changes what you can order, but each section matters for interpreting the rest.

Section 1: Name

The instrument is formally named the National Health (Prescriber Bag Supplies) Determination 2024. It may also be cited as PB 29 of 2024.

Section 2: Commencement

The whole instrument commenced on 1 April 2024. There were no staged commencement provisions. In current compiled versions of the text the commencement table is typically omitted as spent.

Section 3: Authority

F2024L00414 is made under sections 93 and 93AB of the National Health Act 1953. This matters because:

• Section 93 is the medical practitioner authorisation. Section 93AB is the authorised nurse practitioner authorisation. As originally made, F2024L00414 therefore covered MP and NP only.
• Section 93AA, the endorsed midwife authorisation, was not listed in the authority for the original instrument. Endorsed midwife items were added by subsequent amendment, with operative effect from 1 February 2025.

Section 4: Definitions

Most of the section 4 definitions import their meaning from the National Health Act 1953. The terms pharmaceutical benefit, pharmaceutical benefit has a drug, and authorised nurse practitioner all carry their Act based meanings. The term medical practitioner is defined indirectly through the Health Insurance Act 1973.

The takeaway. You cannot read F2024L00414 in isolation. Its core concepts are anchored in the National Health Act and the Health Insurance Act.

Section 5: References to a Pharmaceutical Benefit in a Relevant Form

Section 5 is a cross referencing rule. It tells the reader that every time the Determination refers to a pharmaceutical benefit that has a drug in a relevant form, it means the combination of drug and form set out in Schedule 1 under the columns headed Listed Drug and Form.

Why this is operational, not just technical. Authorisation under section 6 and the quantity limits under section 7 attach not to a drug in the abstract, but to a specific combination of drug and dosage form. Different presentations of the same drug are different listings. If your clinical preference is a presentation that is not in Schedule 1, the Determination does not authorise its supply through the prescriber bag pathway.

4. Section 6: Authorisation of Practitioners

Section 6 is one of the two operative sections in the Determination. It identifies who can supply which items.

Section 6(1). Authorises a medical practitioner, for the purposes of subsection 93(1) of the Act, to supply a pharmaceutical benefit (in the relevant Schedule 1 form) if the initials MP appear for that item in the column headed Prescriber Bag Supplier.

Section 6(2). Authorises an authorised nurse practitioner, for the purposes of subsection 93AB(1) of the Act, where the initials NP appear in the same column.

For endorsed midwives, equivalent authorisation operates through the post 1 February 2025 amendments, where the initials MW have been added to the Prescriber Bag Supplier column for items recommended by the PBAC.

Three practical points from section 6

• Authorisation is item by item. The Determination does not authorise you to obtain everything in Schedule 1. It authorises only those items where your prescriber code (MP, NP, or MW) is listed in the Prescriber Bag Supplier column for that specific drug and form.
• Authorisation is by combination of drug and form. The same drug listed in multiple presentations may carry different prescriber codes in different rows.
• Authorisation alone is not enough. Section 6 says you are authorised to supply a benefit. To actually obtain it, you still need a current PBS prescriber number, a valid Prescriber Bag Supplies Order Book (form PB052) from Services Australia, and a properly completed supply order form for the current calendar month.

5. Section 7: Maximum Quantity and the Group Rule

Section 7 is the section that prescribers most commonly misread. Its four subsections set the calendar month quantity limit and contain the group rule.

Section 7(1)

Establishes that section 7 determines the maximum number of units obtainable by a practitioner (medical practitioner or authorised nurse practitioner) in a calendar month. By amendment, the equivalent monthly limit applies to endorsed midwives for MW marked items.

Section 7(2)

Sets the figure: the limit is the number in the Maximum Quantity column of Schedule 1 for the relevant drug and form combination.

Section 7(3): the group rule

If a practitioner has already obtained one or more units of any item in a particular group during a calendar month, the maximum for every other item in that group is zero for the rest of that month.

Section 7(4)

Defines a group as the set of all items sharing the same number in the Group Number column of Schedule 1.

The official worked example

The Explanatory Statement to F2024L00414 illustrates the group rule with two items in the same group: an injectable antipsychotic and an injectable butyrophenone. If a practitioner has obtained any quantity of one of those items in a calendar month, they cannot obtain any units of the other item in the same calendar month, even though the second item has its own listed maximum quantity. This is the official example, drafted by the Department of Health and Aged Care, and it is the cleanest illustration of how the group rule operates in practice.

6. Schedule 1: How to Read the Table

Schedule 1 is the operative content of the Determination. Every other section exists to give meaning to the entries in this schedule.

Schedule 1 is laid out as a table with five columns:

1. Group Number. The shared identifier for the section 7(3) group rule. Items with the same Group Number cannot be ordered together in the same calendar month.
2. Listed Drug. The International Nonproprietary Name of the active substance.
3. Form. The dosage form, strength, and pack size. This is the most detailed column, because authorisation attaches to drug plus form, not drug alone.
4. Prescriber Bag Supplier. The codes authorised to supply that specific drug and form combination. Codes are MP (medical practitioner), NP (authorised nurse practitioner), and, since 1 February 2025, MW (endorsed midwife).
5. Maximum Quantity. The maximum number of units obtainable in a calendar month for that drug and form, subject to the group rule.

How to read a single Schedule 1 row in practice

1. Identify the drug and form in columns 2 and 3.
2. Check the Prescriber Bag Supplier column for your prescriber code. If your code is not listed, you are not authorised to supply that item.
3. If you are authorised, note the Maximum Quantity in column 5. This is your per item monthly limit, before the stock on hand rule.
4. Note the Group Number in column 1. Cross reference every other row with the same Group Number. Those rows are bound together by the group rule. Choosing one excludes the others for the calendar month.

For the current operative content of Schedule 1, refer to the live PBS Prescriber Bag schedule. The live page reflects amendments registered against F2024L00414 since 1 April 2024.

7. Amendments to F2024L00414 Since 1 April 2024

F2024L00414 has been amended multiple times. The Federal Register shows the current compiled version as F2026C00333, registered as compilation 9, effective from 1 April 2026. The two most significant developments for prescribers are:

1 February 2025: endorsed midwife additions

At its September 2024 intracycle meeting, the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee considered a stakeholder request, led by the Australian College of Midwives, to add endorsed midwives as authorised prescribers for a range of PBS listings, including selected Prescriber Bag items. The PBAC recommended additions. Those recommendations were implemented through PBS schedule and Determination amendments commencing on 1 February 2025.

The practical effect was the addition of the MW code to the Prescriber Bag Supplier column for items that an endorsed midwife is authorised to supply. Across the broader PBS, the number of PBS items prescribable by endorsed midwives expanded from approximately 20 to 57 items. The Prescriber Bag list available to endorsed midwives is a focused subset reflecting the midwifery scope of practice. The Department of Health and Aged Care has published a dedicated FAQ sheet for endorsed midwives, which is the most accessible operational reference.

November 2025 PBAC review: further changes in train

The PBAC's November 2025 review of the Prescriber Bag recommended further changes that are being implemented through amending Determinations:

• Removal of COVID antiviral items, on the basis that the clinical landscape had evolved since their original inclusion in late 2022.
• Addition of an injectable cephalosporin antibiotic for emergency sepsis treatment.
• Extension of two existing items to endorsed midwives, supporting maternal, neonatal, and immunisation care.
• A deferred recommendation on an oral diuretic pending sponsor consultation on smaller pack sizes to reduce wastage.

Because amending Determinations take effect on their own registered commencement dates, the live PBS schedule is the most reliable practical reference for what is currently in Schedule 1.

8. How F2024L00414 Applies When You Place an Order

F2024L00414 sets the rules. Three other elements complete the picture for an actual order.

The PB052 Order Book and the Supply Order Form

The mechanism by which a section 6 authorisation is converted into an actual supply is the Prescriber Bag Supplies Order Book (PB052). Services Australia issues one PB052 to each prescriber, and only one PB052 is issued per prescriber every two years. The book contains pre printed triplicate supply order forms, each of which is valid only for the calendar month indicated on the form. The Determination's calendar month quantity limit in section 7 aligns directly with this monthly form structure.

To request a PB052, eligible prescribers use the PB157 application form through Services Australia's Health Professional Online Services (HPOS). Some competitor websites incorrectly describe PB157 as the supply order form. It is not. PB157 is the application form to obtain the PB052 Order Book, which contains the supply order forms themselves.

The Regulation 33(3A) Stock on Hand Rule

F2024L00414 caps how much you may obtain in a calendar month. Regulation 33(3A) of the National Health (Pharmaceutical Benefits) Regulations 2017 adds the second cap: you may only obtain up to the quantity needed to bring your bag to the listed Maximum Quantity. If you already hold the maximum on hand, your practical entitlement for that month is zero, even though the section 7 monthly cap has not been exceeded.

The two rules interact. Section 7 of F2024L00414 sets the monthly obtainable quantity per item and applies the group rule. Regulation 33(3A) sets the holding quantity per item. A compliant order satisfies both.

The Approved Supplier

F2024L00414 authorises practitioners to supply pharmaceutical benefits to patients. Obtaining the items from a pharmacy is governed by separate PBS administrative arrangements. Your completed PB052 supply order form is presented to a section 90 PBS approved community pharmacy. The pharmacy dispenses the items, retains the original and duplicate triplicate forms for claiming, and obtains a signed receipt on collection.

DocPouch sits inside that approved supplier process, working with a section 90 approved community pharmacy to fulfil compliant Prescriber Bag orders for AHPRA registered prescribers across Australia.

9. A Six Step Compliance Checklist

For a compliant prescriber bag order under F2024L00414:

1. Confirm your prescriber code (MP, NP, or MW) is listed in the Prescriber Bag Supplier column for the drug and form you intend to order.
2. Note the Group Number for that item. Confirm you have not already ordered any other item in the same group this calendar month.
3. Check the Maximum Quantity column for the per item monthly limit under section 7.
4. Confirm your current stock on hand for that item. Order only the difference between current stock and the Maximum Quantity, in line with regulation 33(3A).
5. Use a supply order form from your PB052 book, pre printed with the current calendar month, signed by you, and presented to a section 90 approved supplier.
6. Sign a receipt on collection.

If all six steps are met, your order sits squarely within F2024L00414, the supporting Regulations, and the Act.

10. Frequently Asked Questions

What does F2024L00414 stand for?

F2024L00414 is a Federal Register of Legislation identifier. The F indicates Federal, 2024 is the registration year, L indicates a legislative instrument, and 00414 is the sequence number within that year. The same instrument is also cited as PB 29 of 2024 in the Department of Health and Aged Care's internal PB numbering system.

Is F2024L00414 still in force?

Yes. F2024L00414 is the principal Determination and remains in force. The text on the Federal Register is updated through periodic compilations as the instrument is amended. The current compiled version, F2026C00333, was registered as compilation 9 with effect from 1 April 2026.

Does F2024L00414 cover endorsed midwives?

The instrument as originally made was authorised under sections 93 and 93AB only, covering medical practitioners and authorised nurse practitioners. Authorisation for endorsed midwives under section 93AA was added by amendment, operative from 1 February 2025, following the PBAC's September 2024 intracycle review. The current compiled text reflects this, with MW codes against items endorsed midwives are authorised to supply.

What is the group rule in F2024L00414?

If you obtain any units of any item in a Schedule 1 group during a calendar month, you cannot obtain any units of any other item in that same group during the same calendar month. The group identifier is the number in the Group Number column of Schedule 1. This is set out in section 7(3) of the Determination.

What is the difference between PB052 and PB157?

PB052 is the Prescriber Bag Supplies Order Book, which contains the pre printed triplicate supply order forms you use each month. PB157 is the application form you submit through HPOS to request a PB052 book. The two are sometimes confused. Only one PB052 is issued to a prescriber every two years.

Are Schedule 8 controlled drugs covered by F2024L00414?

Yes. Schedule 1 of the Determination contains items classified as Schedule 8 controlled drugs under the relevant Poisons Standard. Holding and supplying these items continues to require compliance with the applicable state or territory drugs and poisons legislation, which sits alongside the Commonwealth Determination.

Can the live PBS schedule differ from F2024L00414 as originally registered?

The live PBS schedule reflects the Determination as currently in force, including all amendments. Differences from the original 1 April 2024 text are explained by amendment. The consolidated registered text on the Federal Register is the authoritative legal source. The live PBS schedule is the most accessible operational reference, and is typically updated to reflect amendments more quickly than the consolidated text on the Federal Register.

What are the MP, NP, and MW codes?

MP stands for medical practitioner. NP stands for authorised nurse practitioner. MW stands for endorsed midwife. Each prescriber type can only order Schedule 1 items where their code appears in the Prescriber Bag Supplier column.

Why is the citation PB 29 of 2024 used alongside F2024L00414?

Section 1 of the Determination allows the instrument to be cited as PB 29 of 2024. This is the Department of Health and Aged Care's internal PB numbering system for PBS related instruments. Both citations refer to the same document.

In Summary

F2024L00414 is the legislative instrument that sets the operational rules of the PBS prescriber bag scheme. The Act creates the authorisation. The Regulations add the stock on hand rule. The Determination identifies the items, quantities, prescriber codes, and the group structure that controls substitution. Together, they define every compliant prescriber bag order placed in Australia.

For a one click ordering pathway that handles the approved supplier process for you, you can order your PBS prescriber bag online with DocPouch. Your PB052 supply order form remains the regulatory mechanism. DocPouch handles the logistics around it.

Disclaimer: This article is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical, pharmaceutical, or legal advice. It is a plain English summary of a Commonwealth legislative instrument and the related regulatory framework. The supply of pharmaceutical benefits under the PBS Prescriber Bag scheme is governed by the National Health Act 1953 (Cth), the National Health (Pharmaceutical Benefits) Regulations 2017 (Cth) (including regulation 33(3A) as inserted by F2024L00380), the National Health (Prescriber Bag Supplies) Determination 2024 (F2024L00414) and amending instruments (current compilation F2026C00333), the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989 (Cth), and the applicable state or territory drugs and poisons legislation. Prescribers must verify the current operative text on the Federal Register of Legislation and the current operative Schedule 1 content on the PBS Prescriber Bag page. Doc Pouch Pty Ltd (ABN 28 695 916 306), trading as DocPouch, is not a law firm and the contents of this article do not create a solicitor client relationship. Nothing in this article should be interpreted as advertising of therapeutic goods or as a therapeutic claim outside the requirements of the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989 (Cth).