Webster packs: what they are and where to get one

What a Webster pack actually is

A Webster pack is one brand of dose administration aid (DAA). DAAs are sealed packs or trays that organise your regular medicines into compartments by day of the week and time of day (morning, lunch, evening, bedtime, for example). You open the compartment for "Tuesday evening", and everything you are meant to take on Tuesday evening is there.

Other brands exist and operate the same way. "Webster pack" is often used generically, the way "Esky" gets used for any cooler.

Webster packs are typically prepared by a pharmacist, sealed, labelled with your name and the dose schedule, and dispensed weekly. They are designed to reduce dosing errors and make it easier to confirm whether a dose has already been taken.

Who benefits from a dose administration aid

DAAs are useful in three common situations: someone on five or more regular medicines, someone with memory or dexterity issues, or someone whose carer needs to verify that each dose was taken. A pharmacist or GP can help assess whether a DAA is right for a particular person. Not every medication suits packing (some need to stay in the original container for stability), so the assessment matters.

If you are the carer of someone managing multiple scripts, your pharmacist can walk you through how a DAA fits into the rest of their routine.

How to set one up

The usual path: speak with your regular pharmacy, bring your current scripts, and the pharmacist assesses whether a DAA suits your medicines. If it does, they will coordinate with your GP where needed and set up the weekly schedule. You typically pick up (or have delivered) a new pack each week. Many pharmacies offer delivery for DAA patients.

The existing pharmacy filter on this site lets you find pharmacies that offer Webster packs, filtered by suburb and state. Narrow by state or city to find one near you.

What Webster packs cost in Australia

Pricing varies by pharmacy and by your personal circumstances. Some community pharmacies offer Webster packs at no additional charge for eligible patients; others charge a per-week packing fee on top of the cost of the medicines inside.

Pharmacies participating in the MedsCheck or Home Medicines Review programmes often bundle DAA setup with the review. Patients receiving Home and Community Care (HACC), Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) support, or certain aged-care packages may have DAA fees covered. Eligibility and out-of-pocket costs depend on the pharmacy, the programme, and the patient’s circumstances. Ask the pharmacy directly for a specific quote.

What to do if a dose goes missing or wrong

If you find a missing dose in a pack, a dose that looks different from what you expected, or you have taken the wrong compartment, phone your pharmacy first. They can confirm what should have been in the compartment and advise next steps.

For a suspected overdose or ingestion of the wrong medicine, phone Poisons Information on 13 11 26 immediately. In an emergency, call triple zero (000).

Never assume a missing dose is a packing error without checking with the pharmacy. Compartments are sealed and labelled for audit; the pharmacy can trace the pack back to its prep record.