THE Consumers Health Forum has confirmed it will "urge the government to ensure the next negotiations for the Community Pharmacy Agreement include consumer representatives".
According to a CHF statement issued yesterday, the government's response to the King Review of Pharmacy Remuneration and Regulation has "left open the prospect" of the organisation being part of the 7CPA.
"At a time when CHF research tells us that consumers trust pharmacists, value community pharmacy and want pharmacy services to be opened up to be more integrated with the rest of the health system, the government has supported a limited number of the recommendations of the review to reform community pharmacy," said CHF ceo Leanne Wells.
She noted calls from pharmacy and general practice clinical leaders that "modern pharmacy needs to shift from its 'dispensing' mentality to one of community care.
"This highlights the need for the voice of consumers to balance the influence of pharmacy owners."
Wells said over the years the CHF had played a significant role in shaping important elements of community health practice, including the organisation's role in the genesis of the Australian Medicines Handbook.
She said including representatives of consumers alongside those of professional pharmacists and owners "makes sense when we consider the importance and cost of pharmacies to the community".
As well as heading up the CHF, Wells is a director of painaustralia and was recently appointed as a Councillor to the Australian Pharmacy Council (PD 09 May).
The above article was sent to subscribers in Pharmacy Daily's issue from 18 May 18
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