FEDERAL Treasurer, Josh Frydenberg, is being urged to allocate funding for greater pharmacist-led medicines safety measures for aged care, in next month's Budget.
Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) National President, Associate Professor Chris Freeman, warned that failure to invest in pharmacists would see continued medicines mismanagement in the sector, highlighted by the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety.
Freeman noted the PSA's Medicine Safety: Take Care and Medicine Safety: Aged Care reports found more than 95% of patients living in residential aged care facilities had at least one medicine-related problem at the time of a medication review, with most having three, while 6% had been administered a potientially hazardous medication combination.
"The Morrison Government has already recognised medicine safety as a National Health Priority Area," he said.
"Now they must act to address medicine safety in residential aged care facilities, in response to the Aged Care Royal Commission.
"Residents in aged care facilities deserve to have timely and regular access to the expertise of a pharmacist if they require advice and support with their medicines and medicine management.
"Embedding pharmacists in aged care facilities will improve aged care medication management, ultimately reducing medicine-related harm amongst residents."
Freeman said pharmacists' expertise in medicines management meant they were ideally placed to identify and resolve issues, by conducting reviews, and educating and supporting aged care workers.
The above article was sent to subscribers in Pharmacy Daily's issue from 30 Apr 21
To see the full newsletter, see the embedded issue below or CLICK HERE to download Pharmacy Daily from 30 Apr 21
