PSA president Shane Jackson has revealed a proposal to undertake a large scale consultation to develop a 10-year Action Plan for pharmacist services in Australia.
Speaking at the opening of the PSA17 conference in Sydney on Fri, Jackson said professional pharmacy services in Australia were lagging behind other countries.
"We used to lead the world in pharmacists' professional services, but not any more...I want to see that rectified," he said.
Jackson said the 10-year plan would involve PSA leading a comprehensive consultation process including consumers, pollicy makers, government, pharmacists and other health professional groups, to help map out the future of pharmacists' care in this country.
He said a strategic approach to the role of pharmacist services in the community, how they are funded and how they are delivered, was urgently required.
"Healthcare is changing and we can no longer see pharmacist services delivered in primary care as being only available through a community pharmacy.
"This stifles innovation within our profession, and more importantly consumer access to pharmacist services and quality use of medicines," Jackson said.
He said limiting pharmacist services in the community to funding from the PBS contributed to Australia's pharmacists being underutilised in roles across the broader health system.
"We will likely end up with a very different Agreement for pharmacist services in the future...one in which services form a continuum from dispensing through to comprehensive medication review - delivered in an individualised manner based on patient need and focused on the quality use of medicines," Jackson said.
He urged the removal of "arbitrary provider caps" on clinical services for medication reviews.
"These are important programs that must have sufficient investment," he said.
MEANWHILE Jackson also slammed the "apallingly low wages" for pharmacists, with the 10-year plan aiming to rectify this through new roles and new remuneration for the sector.
Key opportunities include work within Primary Health Networks which have already been trialled, but need to be scaled up.
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