PHARMACISTS should be "better equipped to work in collaboration, and their roles better integrated with general practice," according to an issues paper released yesterday by the Consumers Health Forum.
Laying out the CHF vision for the Australian health system, the document also urges the implementation of "an enhanced primary health care role for pharmacists within their scope of practice...and evolving models of non-prescribing pharmacists working in general practice should be made more widespread".
The paper was presented at a CHF-coordinated Roundtable in Melbourne, with 20 consumer health leaders meeting with Health Minister Greg Hunt.
CHF ceo Leanne Wells welcomed Hunt's readiness to meet, saying she looked forward to "future bi-annual roundtables with him".
Hunt thanked the Forum for its work developing the paper, saying the government would "carefully review CHF's suggestions and proposals on how we can make Australia's outstanding health system even better".
Wells said investing in primary health care was the way to a better performing health system.
"The 'big fix' that is well within the capacity of our health resources would be for services to be better linked up and for consumers to be the focus of how health services are planned, organised and delivered."
Key issues highlighted by the CHF include the fragmentation of the system, with primary, aged and acute care running in parallel - and the split between state and federal responsibilities - see chf.org.au.
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