Pharmacy Daily | Alice Springs needs a circuit breaker

THE health of residents in Alice Springs is the worst it has ever been, decries pharmacist proprietor Peter Hatswell.

"Alice Springs is in a very dark place, and its future is in grave danger.

"We have always had youth problems triggered by alcoholism and many social issues, but the situation is worse now than ever before," said Hatswell, part-owner of three pharmacies in the Alice Springs CBD, since 1987.

Describing the difficulties faced by his staff in these pharmacies, Hatswell, who is also the Guild's Northern Territory branch President, said "we have to be so careful about what to keep on our shelves.

"We have stopped stocking alcohol-based deodorants, mouthwashes, and hand sanitisers as people are stealing and doing themselves harm, with empty bottles found strewn around town.

"We are stocking non-alcohol versions, and they are 'pharmacist-only' products, but the problems haven't gone away, as people may not understand that the products don't contain alcohol, and can still be poisonous when ingested."

Despite good intentions, the misplaced policies from Canberra and the multi-faceted social issues going back several decades have led to the tragic situation of high levels of youth anti-social behaviour with wide-reaching impacts on businesses such as pharmacies.

"We are facing more workforce shortages as there is greater difficulty in attracting pharmacists to come and work in Alice Springs as they naturally perceive the work environment as dangerous, resulting in us having to pay people a lot more.

"With break-ins and other anti-social behaviour we are further losing pharmacy staff, resulting in us having to shorten the store hours at a time of greater health need, in the face of fewer GPs in the area," Hatswell explained.

Security guards were hired for his pharmacies but he says all this has done is add to overhead costs.

Hatswell welcomes pharmacists being able to practice to the top of their scope and says this will enable his staff as frontline workers to further help people with medical care such as wound care, minor infections and first aid.

However, he says "without adequate staffing levels it will be hard for a pharmacist to take more time out for consultations.

"People are leaving in droves and businesses such as pharmacies may become unviable.

"It's hard to know what might happen, but the situation is such that the support the Government gives to Alice Springs is paramount at the moment.

"Alice Springs is in crisis and needs a circuit breaker.

"People of Alice Springs need help; and the people of Alice Springs need to be helped to help themselves," Hatswell concluded.

Pictured: One of Hatswell's pharmacies.