The Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Regulation 2008 provides that a veterinary practitioner may issue non-handwritten or computer generated prescriptions for an S4 restricted substance or an S8 restricted substance.

A computer generated prescription is one that has any information (except for the veterinarian’s address and contact details) printed rather than handwritten. Elements of the prescription which may be computer generated differ for S4 and S8 prescriptions. 

Under the Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Regulation 2008 (cl 29) restricted substances (S4’s) must be stored ‘in a room or enclosure to which the public does not have access’.

Reception areas, waiting rooms, consult rooms, corridors to these rooms are all examples of areas the public may have access and are therefore unsuitable for the storage of restricted substances.