Remuneration survey open
August 26, 2016
THE highly anticipated Review
of Pharmacy Remuneration and
Regulation’s online questionnaire,
to which Health Minister Sussan
Ley referred, hoping for 40,000
responses, has been posted on the
Health Department’s PBS website.
Ley told the PSA 2016 conference
in Sydney (PD 29 Jul 16) the
consumer survey to be conducted
by the Consumer Health Forum as
part of the Review of Pharmacy
Remuneration and Regulation will
be a key part of the process.
She urged the “entire
pharmaceutical supply chain -
including consumers” to provide
input to the review via the survey.
The 20 minute questionnaire
is available to all stakeholders
- including pharmacists and
consumers - who may wish to
complete it “in lieu of or in addition
to providing a formal written
submission to the Review panel”.
After identifying a respondent’s
role in the pharmacy chain,
questions revolve around what
factors should impinge on
remuneration to pharmacists for
their professional service.
Systems are also under review,
with input sought around methods
of sourcing payment, with
Medicare, PBS and other options.
The survey also examines the
vexed question of the extent
to which pharmacists’ advice is
valued by consumers, followed by
a question on how appropriate the
level of remuneration is.
While seeking to address
perceptions in the pharmacy
community, one question
challenges with: Identify your level
of agreement/disagreement to the
statement, “Providing community
pharmacists with a flat-fee payment
for dispensing medicines supports
undesirable outcomes such as high
volume dispensing and the absence
of appropriate patient advice”.
There are also opportunities
to comment on the $1 discount
option, location rules, technology
impacts and whether parties
other than the Pharmacy Guild
of Australia should be involved in
negotiations with the government.
With many questions using a
1-8 Likert scale or a prioritising
number, statistical data will be able
to be extracted and graphically
understood.
The Review Panel Discussion
Paper released last month (PD 27
Jul 16) is open for submissions
until 23 Sep 2016, while the
questionnaire will be open for
responses until 30 Sep 2016.
The final report will be provided
to the Minister for Health by Mar
2017, the department said - see
health.gov.au/pharmacyreview.
The above article was sent to subscribers in Pharmacy Daily's issue from 26 Aug 16To see the full newsletter, see the embedded issue below or CLICK HERE to download Pharmacy Daily from 26 Aug 16