THE Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia (SHPA) has welcomed the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Government's record commitment to its hospital pharmacy workforce, referencing the ACT Budget 2019-20 contains nearly $8 million over four years to upgrade facilities and employ new staff in the Canberra Hospital pharmacy department.
In addition the budget allows for $2.1 million over two years for the ACT to adopt Real Time Prescription Monitoring (RTPM).
SHPA Chief Executive, Kristin Michaels, says, on behalf of ACT members and hospital pharmacists across Canberra, SHPA looks forward to more detail on the significant expansion.
"We are very pleased to see expanded pharmacy services at The Canberra Hospital as a government priority, both through capital expansion and new or expanded hospital pharmacist roles.
"More hospital pharmacists and improved working conditions in modernised facilities all contribute to the same outcome: safer and higher quality patient care for the acutely unwell in the national capital.
Michaels specifically highlighted the focus on improving pharmacist-to-patient bed ratios, an important catalyst for optimal patient care outlined in the SHPA Standards of Practice for Clinical Pharmacy Services and referenced in SHPA's ACT Budget 2019-20 submission in October last year.
"SHPA also welcomed $70.4m to align ACT Health Core IT Systems with Digital Health Strategy, around $20 million for mental health services and $42.5 million to expand Centenary Hospital for Women and Children as important elements of the total $1 billion for new and improved healthcare infrastructure across Canberra."
Michaels said the SHPA looked forward to "coming together with key stakeholders in Canberra again in August for our second Medicines Leadership Forum, at which SHPA will lead discussion on the importance of efficient hospital discharge processes which prioritise clinical handover to primary care physicians for all Australians".
The above article was sent to subscribers in Pharmacy Daily's issue from 11 Jun 19
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