Pharmacy Daily | Approval pending but money is there

AUSTRALIA'S "network of world class pharmacies" is yet to get approval from the Department of Health to join the COVID-19 vaccination campaign, but $35.8 million has been allocated for a "temporary community pharmacy program" in the 2021/22 Budget.

In a vaccination program delivery package issued to stakeholders last night, the Department of Health noted "the Australian Government is committeed to providing all Australians with access to a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine and has committed $1.9 billion to the Australian COVID-19 vaccine program".

"2021/22 Budget measures include $35.8 million for a temporary community pharmacy program, which will leverage the national network of world class community pharmacies, to administer both vaccine doses to patients throughout Phase 2 and Phase 3 of the national rollout," the Department said.

Pharmacy Guild of Australia National President, Trent Twomey, welcomed funding announcements in last night's Budget noting they would help community pharmacies as front-line healthcare providers and small businesses, while addressing specific concerns for regional, rural and remote patients.

Twomey also described the Government's $17.7 billion investment in aged care over the next four years as an "important advance" but said the Budget was a missed opportunity to fund community pharmacists to deliver at-home care.

"The Guild has urged the Government to commit to greater funding for pharmacists to supply dose administration aids to ageing patients who are able to stay at home," he said.

"This is important to help ensure medication adherence for these vulnerable patients, and we are disappointed this has not been factored into the aged care package at this stage.

"We will, however, continue to work with the Government on this proposal."

Twomey was also disappointed that the Government did not act on the Guild's pre-Budget submission to boost access to opioid dependence treatment throught community pharmacies (PD 02 Feb).

"They are some of the most disadvantaged patients in the country, and the divergent set of State-run programs and lack of either Federal or State funding has meant that access to this program is unaffordable for many of them," he said.