VICTORIAN Minister for Health Jill Hennessy has called for tenders for the next seven Supercare Pharmacies which will open 24-hours-a-day, every day, with a nurse on site from 6 to 10pm.
Victoria's first five 24-hour community Supercare Pharmacies have helped thousands of people get the care and advice they need from pharmacists late at night in just the first seven months, said Hennessy, and with seven more on track to open mid this year, this number will only continue to grow.
A further $25.7m has been tagged by the Victorian Government to open a total of 20 Supercare Pharmacies across the state.
The first five Supercare Pharmacies opened round-the-clock in July last year located in Ascot Vale, Craigieburn, Wantirna South, Yarraville and Ballarat, attracting more than 30,000 visits between 10.00pm and 7.00am, with patient numbers growing every month.
Supercare Pharmacies also played an important role during the unprecedented thunderstorm asthma event late last year.
At that time there was a significant surge in demand after hours with more than three times greater than usual attendances on the evening of 21 Nov.
Ventolin and other asthma medications were most in demand and often precluded the need for hospital visits.
The free nursing service, provided in the 6 to 10 pm period, also assists with wound management, physical assessment, flu and whooping cough immunisations, health screening, sexual health advice and referrals to other services.
These nurses have provided more than 1,700 episodes of care across the five sites since Aug, the Department of Health said.
"We are now looking for more pharmacies to open all day, every day to help families and people like shift workers who need non-emergency care and medicines after hours," Hennessy said.
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