Just when you thought things couldn’t get any more insulting for general practice, along comes a change to the PBS listing for a medication that used to be considered bread and butter for GPs.

As of 1 April, GPs are no longer allowed to initiate PBS scripts for Axotide Junior and Flixotide Junior — fluticasone propionate 50µg per actuation inhalation, 120 actuations — in children under six years old.

That privilege now lies with respiratory physicians and paediatricians, while we GPs can merely issue such scripts to continue the medication.

And to add insult to injury, the PBS listing for the preventer has also been moved to ‘authority required’.