Pharmacists ready – PSA
July 31, 2015
Health minister Sussan Ley
has shown “enormous faith in
our profession,” according to PSA
president Joe Demarte, who vowed
that the pharmacists of Australia
“will not let you down” during
the opening session of the PSA15
conference in Sydney.
Demarte hailed the $1.26
billion allocated in the Sixth
Community Pharmacy Agreement
for professional services, saying
it aligns closely with PSA’s vision
for pharmacists to be part of the
solution to Australia’s health issues.
Demarte urged Ley to commence
the Pharmacy Trial Program as a
matter of priority, implemented
in areas such as minor ailments,
screening and risk assessment,
reconciliation of medicines after
hospital discharge, and medication
management reviews.
Pharmacists can play a key role in
the system, he said, pointing out
that if every community pharmacy
in Australia prevented one person
per day from presenting at an
emergency department, that would
reduce ED presentations by 30%.
“Wouldn’t that be a great result,”
Demarte said.
The PSA president’s speech was
followed by a keynote address from Ley herself, who highlighted
the ongoing commitment of the
coalition government to boosting
the role of pharmacists.
She said the increased investment
in 6CPA professional programs
aimed to “reshape the way
pharmacists can be part of the
health sector...we want to continue
to take pharmacy into areas
meaning you are more than just
dispensers of medicines”.
Ley reiterated the government’s
aim to make the PBS sustainable,
with all parts of the supply chain
sharing in savings measures so
that Australians can continue
to access the latest medicines
under the recent PBS Access and
Sustainability Package.
She also confirmed that the
previously flagged independent
review of pharmacy remuneration
and location rules would
commence in Sep, and would be
completed by Jul 2017 at the latest.
Meanwhile the Pharmacy Trial
program will see a number of
pilots roll out from next year after
consultation with the Guild and PSA.
She hailed the role of pharmacists,
urging delegates to “continue to
recognise the important role you
can play on the front line”.
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