Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS)
Run by the Australian Government to subsidise prescription medicines for Australians who have a Medicare card. If a medicine is subsidised under the scheme, the patient pays a lower price for the medicine, and the Australian Government pays the rest.
Pharmacodynamics
Study of the biochemical and physiological effects of drugs and the mechanisms of their action in the body.
Pharmacokinetics
Study of the bodily absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion of drugs.
Pharmacotherapeutics
Study of the therapeutic uses and effects of drugs.
Practice
Any role, whether remunerated or not, in which the individual uses their skills and knowledge as a practitioner in their regulated health profession. Practice is not restricted to the provision of direct clinical care. It also includes using professional knowledge in a direct non-clinical relationship with patients or clients, working in management, administration, education, research, advisory, regulatory or policy development roles and any other roles that impact on safe, effective delivery of health services in the health profession.
Prescribing
Prescribing is a dynamic process involving the steps of information gathering, clinical and shared decision making, communication and evaluation which results in the initiation, continuation or cessation of a medicine.
Primary Birth Attendant
Midwife primarily responsible for the woman’s care during labour and birth.
Primary health care
Primary health care is a whole-of-society approach to effectively organize and strengthen national health systems to bring services for health and wellbeing closer to communities.
Primary language
Language primarily used for reading, writing, listening, and speaking and the language known best and most comfortable with.
Procedural fairness
Involves the following principles:
- The decision-maker must be impartial and unbiased regarding the matter to be decided, and must have no pecuniary or [proprietary] interest in the outcome;
- Those who may be adversely affected by a decision must be given prior notice of the case and a fair opportunity to prepare for and answer the case and present their own case;
- The decision must be based on sound argument and evidence; and
- Those affected must be given the reasons for the decision.