ESSENTIAL healthcare services will be brought directly to one Tasmanian community thanks to Priceline Pharmacy in Bridgewater proactively taking steps to close the primary care gap.
With the shortage of general practitioners in the area, the pharmacy has stepped up to fill the void, offering blood pressure checks and other vital health screenings.
"Bridgewater is a low-income area, and a lot of people here don't have their own transport, and some of them are unable to use public transport," Priceline Pharmacy Manager Nicole Watt told Pharmacy Daily.
"I like to try and bring as many meaningful services as I can for them in one place."
The pharmacy's latest initiative is a collaboration with the Stroke Foundation and Menzies Institute for Medical Research.
The idea stemmed from a personal experience, where Watt's own son needed to see a GP and could only get an appointment after two weeks, highlighting the scarcity of primary care providers.
"The pharmacy is becoming a growing health hub for the community," Watt continued.
"There's such a shortage of GPs, but with the expanded scope of practice, where more and more pharmacists can provide a wider range of healthcare services, it is so much better for the community."
The collaboration with the Stroke Foundation and Menzies Institute has been a natural fit, as the two organisations have worked together in the past on various preventative care initiatives.
The Priceline Pharmacy organised a dedicated space for representatives of the two organisations and a registered nurse to provide a convenient and accessible service for a full day.
"We had a long table set up at the back of the pharmacy near the dispensary, and customers were asked if they would like to have their blood pressure checked for free while they waited for their scripts to be dispensed," said Watt.
The response from the community has been overwhelmingly positive, with at least 40 people taking up the offer.
As the pharmacy continues to expand its services and partnerships, it remains committed to its mission of putting health and wellness at the forefront.
"With the GP bulk-billing rates falling and cost-of-living crisis we are doing what we can to help our community, and the checks have paved the way for a whole range of other healthcare conversations with our customers," Watt said. JG
Pictured: (standing) registered nurse Maria Hobbs and Priceline Pharmacy Manager Nicole Watt, along with reps (seated) from the Menzies Institute.
The above article was sent to subscribers in Pharmacy Daily's issue from 27 Aug 24
To see the full newsletter, see the embedded issue below or CLICK HERE to download Pharmacy Daily from 27 Aug 24
