Can You Get a Script Without a Video Call?

“Wait… so 93% of telehealth consults were just phone calls?”

According to Medicare data analysed by Australian telehealth researchers, in early 2021 around 93% of MBS telehealth consultations were conducted by phone and only about 7% by video.

At the same time, between March 2020 and July 2022, over 118 million telehealth services were delivered to 18 million patients across Australia. That’s a huge shift in how we see a doctor—and it’s happened in just a few years.

Yet many people still assume “telehealth” automatically means an awkward video chat from your couch, camera angle all wrong, dodgy Wi‑Fi dropping in and out. If you hate video calls, you’re not alone.

So it’s natural to ask:

• Can I get an online prescription with no video call?
• Is text-based telehealth (forms, chat, messages) enough for a script renewal online?
• How do the rules actually work in Australia?

As an Australian telehealth clinic, we at NextClinic spend a lot of time answering exactly these questions. Our doctors issue electronic prescriptions, repeat scripts, medical certificates and specialist referrals every day to patients around the country—mostly without video, and often after a quick phone call plus a digital questionnaire.

In this deep dive, we’ll unpack:

• When you can get a script without a video call
• Where text-based telehealth fits in (and where it doesn’t)
• How the Medical Board of Australia and Ahpra look at “online prescription no video” models
• Practical tips to safely renew a repeat script online in Australia
• How our own services at NextClinic handle this in a way that’s both convenient and compliant

By the end, you’ll know what’s possible, what’s not, and how to get your medication sorted with the least amount of hassle—without putting your health (or your doctor) in a risky position.

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Telehealth in Australia: It’s Not All Zoom Calls

Before we talk prescriptions, it helps to clear up what “telehealth” actually means in Australia.

Telehealth = phone or video (not text-only)

The Australian Digital Health Agency defines telehealth consultations as appointments done via video or telephone instead of face-to-face.

In other words:

• A phone call with your GP = telehealth
• A video consult over a secure platform = telehealth
• A questionnaire, email, or chat only, with no real-time conversation = not what regulators consider proper telehealth for prescribing.

That last bit is important once we start talking about text-based telehealth and scripts.

Australians are still using telehealth a lot

Telehealth isn’t just a pandemic relic. The ABS Patient Experiences survey shows that in 2024–25, around 22.5% of Australians had at least one telehealth consultation in the previous 12 months, and 18.5% saw a GP this way.

So you’re not a weirdo if you prefer a phone consult to a waiting room — you’re in very good company.

…but regulators are watching closely

With the boom in online doctors and “instant scripts”, complaints about telehealth to the Medical Board and Ahpra have climbed sharply—one analysis reported a 413% increase in issues stemming from telehealth appointments between 2019–20 and 2022–23.

A lot of that concern centres on prescribing — especially quick, questionnaire-only online prescriptions and single-issue “pill mills”.

That’s why the Medical Board issued revised telehealth guidelines in 2023, and Ahpra further clarified them in 2025, with a strong focus on how scripts are issued online.

Those guidelines are the backbone of the answer to your question: can you get a script without a video call, or even just via text?

Video vs Phone vs Text: What’s the Real Difference?

Let’s break this down in plain language.

Synchronous vs asynchronous care

Regulators talk about two big concepts:

• Synchronous (real-time) care
  • You and the doctor are interacting at the same time
  • Examples: phone call, video consult
  • Doctor can ask follow-up questions, clarify details, hear your tone of voice
• Asynchronous care
  • Things happen at different times
  • Examples: online questionnaires, secure messages, emails, chatbots
  • You send information, and the doctor reviews it later

The Medical Board of Australia’s telehealth guidelines make it clear:

• *Prescribing or providing healthcare without a real-time consultation—whether in person, via video or via telephone—is not good practice and is not supported by the Board.*
• That specifically includes scripts issued purely from questionnaires, text, email or live chat, when the doctor has never spoken to you before.

So it’s not that forms and messages are banned — they’re just not enough on their own for most prescriptions, especially if you’re a new patient.

Short Answer: Can You Get an Online Prescription With No Video Call?

Yes — a video call is not mandatory for most scripts

In Australia, most day-to-day telehealth prescribing can safely and legally happen after:

• A phone consultation (no video), or
• A mix of written information + a short phone call

You do not usually need to fire up your webcam.

In fact:

• During the height of the pandemic, roughly 93% of MBS telehealth GP consults were by phone, not video.

So if your main concern is “I hate video calls”, you can relax. Phone-only telehealth is normal in Australia — and still counted as proper telehealth.

What about “online prescription no video” with no phone either?

This is where things get trickier.

Under the Medical Board’s guidance:

• Prescribing purely from a questionnaire or text for someone the doctor has never consulted is not considered good practice.

There are limited exceptions for a patient’s usual doctor (or another practitioner with full access to your clinical record) to issue certain repeat prescriptions without a fresh consultation — for example, to tide you over until the next visit.

But for most Australians using a new online service for the first time, a reputable provider will:

1. Ask you to complete a text-based digital questionnaire, and
2. Have the doctor speak to you in real time — usually by phone

That’s exactly how we run things at NextClinic, especially for instant/repeat scripts.

When a Phone Call Is Enough for Script Renewal Online

Let’s talk real-world scenarios where you can often renew a repeat script online without going on camera.

1. Stable, ongoing medications

For many stable, long-term conditions, a short phone consult plus your history is enough for a doctor to safely renew a repeat script:

• Blood pressure or cholesterol medication
• Asthma preventer inhalers
• Thyroid hormone replacement
• Long-term contraception (e.g. the pill)
• Menopause HRT
• Certain mental health medications (when you’re stable and regularly reviewed)

At NextClinic, our Instant Scripts service is designed for exactly these situations:

• You fill in a short, secure questionnaire about your health and the medication you’re requesting
• Our doctor reviews it and then calls you for a brief consultation in most cases, especially on your first request or if anything is unclear
• If it’s clinically appropriate, we issue an eScript token via SMS that you can use at any pharmacy in Australia

No webcam. No video. Just text + a quick phone call.

If you’re curious about how this works in more detail, we break it down in our own article, “Instant Scripts Available at NextClinic”.

2. Contraception and sexual health

A lot of people first meet telehealth when they’re trying to sort out sexual and reproductive health:

• Renewing the contraceptive pill before the silly season
• Managing menopausal symptoms with HRT
• Organising treatment for erectile dysfunction
• Getting a script for the morning after pill if appropriate

These are classic use-cases for phone-based telehealth in Australia. For example, in our contraception-focused guide, we explain how you can request a repeat pill script online, have a quick chat with an Australian-registered doctor by phone, and then receive your eScript via SMS — ready to use at any pharmacy nationwide.

Again: no video required. But there is still a genuine consultation.

If you’re particularly interested in contraception, you might like our article “Stay Safe: Your Guide to Contraception This Party Season”, which walks through telehealth contraception options in detail.

3. Rural and remote patients

For people in rural and remote Australia, getting to a GP can mean hours of driving. Telehealth was practically built for you.

The Medical Board explicitly recognises that telehealth (phone or video) plays a key role in improving access, especially outside major cities.

For rural patients, we often:

• Use phone telehealth for regular follow-up and repeat scripts
• Combine it with local pathology or imaging when needed
• Send eScripts that can be filled at your local chemist or an Australian online pharmacy that accepts electronic prescriptions.

If you live outside the big cities, our post “Telehealth and Rural Australia: Closing the Gap” explores how telehealth Australia-wide is transforming access for country communities.

When You Might Be Asked for Video or In‑Person Care

Even if you’re desperate to avoid video calls, there are situations where a doctor may say:

"“I need to see you on video or face-to-face to do this properly.”"

Examples include:

• New or complex mental health concerns, especially with risk of self-harm or severe distress
• Suspected serious infections or sepsis
• Severe abdominal pain, possible appendicitis or ectopic pregnancy
• Concerning new neurological symptoms (weakness, confusion, seizures)
• Some skin lesions where colour, size and pattern really matter
• Cases where your answers suggest a condition that genuinely needs a physical examination

The telehealth guidelines stress that doctors must only use telehealth when they can provide care that’s as safe and effective as an in-person consult. If they can’t, they should direct you to face-to-face care.

So if a legitimate service sometimes declines to prescribe via telehealth and asks you to see a GP or hospital instead, that’s usually a good sign, not bad service.

Is Purely Text-Based Telehealth Enough for a Script?

This is the crux of the “can I do it by text only?” question.

What the Medical Board actually says

In its 2023 telehealth guidelines and subsequent clarifications, the Medical Board of Australia states that:

• Real-time consultations (in-person, video or phone) remain key to safe prescribing.
• Providing healthcare or prescribing via questionnaire-based, asynchronous web tools alone, with no real-time consultation, is not considered good practice.
• Text, email or online requests where the doctor has never spoken to the patient are specifically called out as problematic.
• A patient’s usual doctor can sometimes prescribe without a fresh consultation, but only in limited circumstances and where they have access to your clinical record.

So, in plain English:

"If you’ve never spoken to the doctor, and they’re issuing a prescription based only on a tick-box form or messages, they’re out of step with current “good practice” standards."

How responsible “text-based telehealth” providers actually operate

Most reputable telehealth providers in Australia (including us) use a hybrid model:

1. Clinically designed questionnaire
   • Captures your symptoms, medical history, allergies, current medicines, etc.
   • Helps the doctor decide whether your request is likely to be safe and appropriate.
2. Real-time consult when needed
   • For new patients, higher-risk meds or anything unclear, the doctor will call you (phone) for a short consult.
   • Even for simpler repeat scripts, a phone call is common on your first request, or whenever something has changed.

In our own Instant Scripts article, we spell this out: you submit a form, then “our doctors will call you within an hour of your request for a short consultation before issuing an e-script token.”

That’s text-based telehealth plus real-time care—not questionnaire-only prescribing.

How Script Renewal Online Actually Works (Step by Step)

Let’s walk through a typical repeat script journey, using services like ours as an example.

1. You submit an online request

You:

• Visit a trusted Australian telehealth site (e.g. NextClinic’s prescriptions online page)
• Select the medication you’re requesting or describe it
• Fill out a short questionnaire about:
  • Your condition
  • How long you’ve been on the medication
  • Any side effects
  • Other conditions and medicines you use

This is the “text-based” part — and it’s crucial for safety and efficiency.

2. A doctor reviews your information

An AHPRA-registered doctor then reviews your request, checking for:

• Obvious red flags (e.g. allergies, risky combinations)
• Whether the medication is suitable to prescribe via telehealth
• Whether they need more information from you

Under the guidelines, they’re responsible for ensuring the same standard of care as a face-to-face consult.

3. Real-time telehealth (often phone, not video)

If everything looks straightforward and low-risk, and especially if you’re already well-known to that doctor or service, they may be able to proceed without a lengthy call.

But in many cases — particularly for first-time requests or higher-risk medications — the doctor will:

• Call you for a short phone consult (no video required)
• Confirm your history and current symptoms
• Ask follow-up questions
• Explain what they’re prescribing (or why they’re not prescribing)

This is the point where it becomes proper telehealth, not just a form.

4. Your script becomes an eScript

If the doctor decides it’s safe and appropriate to prescribe, they generate an electronic prescription instead of (or as well as) a paper script.

The federal Department of Health explains that electronic prescriptions work by:

• Your prescriber sending you a unique QR “token” via SMS or email
• You taking that token to any pharmacy that supports eScripts (most do)
• The pharmacist scanning the token to access and dispense your prescription

At NextClinic, we use exactly this system — your eScript token is sent straight to your phone, and you choose the pharmacy. We don’t sell or ship medication ourselves; that’s handled by regulated Australian pharmacies.

5. Repeats and follow-up

If you have repeats on your script, your pharmacy can send you a new token for each repeat once they dispense the previous one.

For long-term medications, your doctor may also set a reminder to review you by telehealth or in-person after a certain period, especially for things like mental health, blood pressure, or HRT.

What You Can and Can’t Get via Online Prescription (No Video)

Every provider is different, but there are some common patterns across telehealth Australia-wide.

Commonly suitable for phone-based telehealth

You can often get an online prescription (without video) for:

• Repeat scripts for ongoing, stable conditions:
  • Blood pressure, cholesterol, thyroid
  • Asthma/COPD preventers
  • Type 2 diabetes meds (for stable patients)
• Contraception and sexual health:
  • Oral contraceptive pills
  • Some erectile dysfunction treatments
  • Scripts related to HRT for menopause or men’s health
• Allergies and hayfever
• Mild skin conditions (e.g. acne, eczema)
• Some mental health medications, where your condition is stable and a telehealth review is clinically appropriate

Our Instant Scripts and online prescription services explicitly focus on these kinds of medicines, and we screen out categories that aren’t appropriate for this pathway.

For more examples, see our condition-specific blogs like “Asthma Check-Up via Telehealth” or “Managing High Blood Pressure: Your Medication Options”.

Commonly not suitable for quick text-or-phone-only scripts

Most reputable telehealth providers will not prescribe the following via a quick online script service:

• Schedule 8 (S8) or addictive medications, such as:
  • Strong opioids
  • Many stimulant medications
  • Certain sedatives and sleeping tablets
• Many weight-loss medications, especially injectables
• Some complex mental health or specialist medicines requiring tight monitoring

NextClinic, for example, clearly states we do not prescribe Schedule 8 or other restricted drugs through our platform.

In these cases, you’ll typically need:

• A longer telehealth consultation (often video, sometimes in person), and/or
• Ongoing care with your usual GP or relevant specialist

Safety First: Avoiding Dodgy “No-Consult” Script Sites

If you’re Googling “online prescription no video”, you’ll see a mix of:

• Legitimate Australian telehealth services
• Australian online pharmacies (which still require a valid prescription)
• Overseas sites offering prescription medications without any script at all

The last category is where the real danger lies.

Healthdirect and TGA: clear warnings

Healthdirect — the government-backed health advice service — warns that any website that sends you prescription medicines in Australia without getting a valid prescription is breaking the law.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) adds that when you buy medications from unregulated overseas sites, you may be getting:

• Counterfeit or fake products
• Wrong doses of active ingredient
• Contaminants or toxic chemicals
• Ingredients that are illegal in Australia

Authorities have already intercepted fake Ozempic and counterfeit Botox at the border — stark reminders that dodgy online sources can be physically dangerous, not just a waste of money.

Red flags to watch for

Be very cautious if a site:

• Offers prescription-only medicines without asking for a prescription or doctor consult
• Is clearly based overseas with no Australian address or ABN
• Doesn’t show the involvement of AHPRA-registered doctors
• Ships the medicine directly to you from overseas, rather than asking for a local eScript

In contrast, a legitimate service (like ours, or a reputable online pharmacy) will:

• Require a consultation and a script from an authorised prescriber
• Use Australian-registered doctors and pharmacists
• Provide prescriptions via PBS-compliant electronic prescription systems

If a provider proudly says “no consultation needed” for prescription-only medications, that’s usually your cue to click away.

How We at NextClinic Handle Script Renewals Without Video

Because this is our backyard, here’s how we’ve designed NextClinic’s services to make life easier for people who hate video calls — while staying safely within the rules.

1. Text-based forms that feed into real-time care

Across our prescription pathways, the flow usually looks like this:

1. You complete a short, clinically designed questionnaire about your health and the medication you need (text-based telehealth).
2. An Australian-registered doctor reviews your answers.
3. In most cases — especially for first-time or higher-risk requests — the doctor calls you by phone for a brief consultation.
4. If it’s clinically appropriate, they issue an electronic prescription (eScript), which we send as an SMS token.
5. You fill the script at any Australian pharmacy that accepts eScripts.

No video. No need to tidy the lounge room. But there is a real consultation and a doctor applying proper clinical judgement.

2. Different pathways for different needs

We offer several pathways that intersect with this question:

• Telehealth consultation – for when you’re unwell (e.g. UTI, tonsillitis, sinus infection) and need a full consult that may result in a script, a sick note, or a referral. Phone-based by default.
• Online prescriptions / Instant scripts – streamlined repeat script or simple medication requests, designed for stable ongoing meds.
• Condition-specific services – for example, erectile dysfunction treatment or morning-after pill scripts, which combine questionnaires with a quick call.

Throughout our blog — whether we’re talking about antibiotics, contraception, or chronic disease — we come back to the same principle: online prescriptions are safe and legal when they follow proper consultation and prescribing standards.

How to Make Your Phone or Text-Based Telehealth Consult Work for You

If you’re planning to get a script renewal online without video, a bit of prep goes a long way.

1. Have your details handy

Before you start, grab:

• Your Medicare card or IHI number
• A list of your current medications, including doses
• Details of any allergies or past bad reactions to medicines
• Recent blood pressure/weight/blood sugar readings, if relevant

It makes your questionnaire more accurate and your phone consult faster and safer.

2. Be brutally honest in your answers

Text-based questionnaires only work if you’re straight with your doctor. Don’t downplay:

• How much alcohol you drink
• Recreational drug use
• Mental health symptoms
• Any other medicines or supplements you’re taking

Doctors aren’t there to judge — they’re there to stop dangerous combinations and spot red flags.

3. Choose privacy for your call

For the phone consult:

• Find a quiet, private space
• Use headphones if you’re worried about being overheard
• Tell people around you you’ll be unavailable for a few minutes

The more comfortable you feel talking openly, the better care you’ll get.

4. Ask questions

Even if it’s “just” a repeat script, it’s okay to ask:

• “Is this still the right dose for me?”
• “Are there any new side effects or warnings I should know about?”
• “Do you think I should have any blood tests or check-ups soon?”

Telehealth is still real healthcare — you’re allowed to be curious.

Quick FAQ

Is it legal to get an online prescription in Australia?

Yes — as long as:

• The prescription comes from an authorised prescriber after an appropriate consultation (in-person, phone or video), and
• You use a legitimate Australian pharmacy or telehealth service that requires a script before supplying medicines.

Electronic prescriptions (eScripts) are a government-supported way to do this digitally.

Can I get antibiotics through text-based telehealth?

Sometimes — but not automatically.

A doctor has to decide antibiotics are clinically appropriate for your condition after a proper consultation. At NextClinic, for example, our FAQ makes it clear that antibiotics may be prescribed only after a telehealth consultation and not just because you asked for them.

So you might start with a form, but expect at least a short phone call.

Is it cheaper to use telehealth for scripts?

• The pharmacy cost of your medicine (including any PBS subsidy) is the same whether the script is paper or electronic.
• You’ll usually pay a consultation fee for the telehealth service (like you would privately for a GP visit).

What you often save is time, travel and lost income from taking time off work.

Bringing It All Together — And Your Next Step

Let’s recap the key points:

• You do not need a video call to get a script in Australia. Phone-based telehealth is common, accepted and widely used.
• Text-based telehealth alone (just forms or chat, with no real-time doctor consult) is not considered good practice for most prescriptions — especially if you’ve never spoken to that doctor before.
• For a safe script renewal online, the ideal is:
  • A smart questionnaire
  • Plus a short phone consult where needed
  • Then an eScript sent to your phone, to use at any Australian pharmacy.
• Legitimate services won’t promise every request will be approved. They’ll sometimes say “no” or redirect you to in-person care — and that’s a sign they’re following the rules, not cutting corners.
• At NextClinic, we’ve designed our telehealth Australia-wide services around exactly this balance: maximum convenience (no video calls required) with proper doctor oversight and compliance with Medical Board guidelines.

Your challenge for this week

If you’ve read this far, you’re clearly serious about taking control of your health (and avoiding unnecessary video calls).

Choose one of these actions to take this week:

1. Do a “script audit” of your medicine cabinet.

Check which prescriptions are running low or about to expire and decide which could be safely renewed via a phone-based telehealth consult instead of an in-person visit.

1. Vet the online services you already use or are considering.

Look for:

• AHPRA-registered doctors
• Clear mention of real-time consultations (phone or video)
• No promises of prescription medicines without a script
• An Australian address and ABN

1. Set up a plan with your usual GP.

Ask how they prefer to handle repeat scripts (phone, in-person, telehealth Australia-wide services like ours) so you’re not scrambling at the last minute.

Then, come back and tell us in the comments: Which strategy did you choose, and how did it go?

Did you manage to sort a repeat script online with no video call? Did you discover a dodgy site in your search that you decided to avoid? Your experience might be exactly the nudge another Aussie needs to switch to safer, more convenient telehealth.

References

• A Guide To Australian Telehealth Statistics
• Telehealth for healthcare providers
• Online Doctors: Telehealth Consultations at NextClinic
• Patient Experiences, 2024-25 financial year | Australian Bureau of Statistics
• Complaints to Australian medical regulator about telehealth rise by 413% over three years | Health | The Guardian
• Instant Scripts Available at NextClinic | NextClinic
• Online Prescriptions in Minutes | Instant Scripts Online
• Stay Safe: Your Guide to Contraception This Party Season | NextClinic
• Electronic Prescriptions
• AHPRA's Telehealth Guidelines: What You Must Know | LegalVision
• Electronic prescriptions | Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing
• NextClinic: Online Medical Certificates, Instant Scripts and Telehealth Consults
• Buying medicines online | healthdirect
• Buying medicines and medical devices online | Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA)
• Fake Ozempic seized at Aussie border
• Morning After Pill Online | Express Script in Minutes
• Antibiotics 101: How to Use Them Responsibly | NextClinic
• General and Specific FAQS | NextClinic

FAQs