POLITICIANS in the ACT are being urged to back pharmacists working to their full scope of practice by Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) ACT Branch President, Renae Beardmore.
Speaking ahead of this month's ACT Legislative Assembly elections, Beardmore called on all political parties to commit to improving the health and wellbeing of the population through pharmacy-related initiatives to boost medicine safety and to increase the range of vaccines pharmacists in the Territory can administer.
"The upcoming election is the perfect time to commit to new reforms that will allow pharmacists, as medicines experts to practice to their full scope that will lead to a healthier ACT," she said.
"PSA urges all ACT political parties to sign up to Public Hospital Pharmaceutical Reform with the Commonwealth that will allow patients to receive a month's worth of medicines via the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) which is in line with other states and territories.
"Removing restrictions which limit the range of vaccines, and other injectable medicines, that ACT pharmacists can safely administer will increase vaccine coverage in the ACT."
Beardmore also called on politicians to pledge to appoint the ACT Chief Pharmacist to the Health Emergency Unit Steering Committee, to support preparation and planning efforts.
"Pharmacists feel an obligation to assist and are readily available to do so, as demonstrated during the recent bushfire crisis and COVID-19 pandemic," she said.
"During COVID-19 support to the community has been minimised, indeed impeded at times, by an early lack of involvement and engagement with pharmacists prior to an emergency, at the stage of planning and preparation."
The above article was sent to subscribers in Pharmacy Daily's issue from 02 Oct 20
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