THE Royal Australian College of General Practitioners has today expressed outrage at what it's describing as a "hidden clause" in the 7th Community Pharmacy Agreement, despite the matter being clearly spelt out some years ago in Pharmacy Daily when the 7CPA was unveiled (PD 15 Jun 2020).
It's the latest salvo in the battle between doctors and the pharmacy sector over potentially extending dispensing timeframes, with RACGP President Nicole Higgins claiming to be gobsmacked at the "secret" inclusion of the clause which was highlighted in News Corp newspapers today.
"I suppose given the power of the Pharmacy Guild I shouldn't be surprised that this clause exists, yet I am still gobsmacked.
"At a time when Westpac and the Pharmacy Guild have reported that spending in pharmacy has increased by 33.7% to almost $124m in Jan, on top of the billions paid to pharmacy through the Community Pharmacy Agreement, you would think that pharmacies shouldn't need a funding guarantee.
"Not to mention the extra money being funnelled in at a state and territory level for the prescribing experiments and the profits that these schemes will generate.
"Pharmacies already have protections around ownership and location laws that reduce choice and access to cheaper medicines for patients.
"This clause gives them a boost when sales are down because people are well.
"Could you imagine doctors being given a bonus payment by government when people don't need to see a doctor?"
Dr Higgins said that the Government needed to stand firm as "the Pharmacy Guild will fight tooth and nail against this".
The Pharmacy Guild has declined to comment at the time of printing.
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