PHARMACY owners in Melbourne's COVID-19 lockdown zones are working with the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services to ensure patients retain access to medicines throughout the ongoing crisis.
Pharmacy Guild of Australia Victorian Branch President, Anthony Tassone, told Pharmacy Daily that the profession was striving to support vulnerable patients living in public housing who require critical medications, including opioid replacement therapy.
"The Guild has had ongoing and regular contact with the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services throughout the COVID pandemic and have previously helped coordinate medicine supply services for returned traveller patients quarantined in hotels," he said.
"Likewise with the public housing towers in North Melbourne and Flemington under lockdown, the Guild has been closely working with the Department and member pharmacies to help ensure ongoing medicine supplies including opioid replacement therapy.
"Many patients who are residents in these towers have chronic conditions, are vulnerable and have other risk factors.
"The Guild and our members continue to stand ready to do what we can to ensure patients receive the important treatments they need."
Meanwhile pharmacists including Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia Head of Pharmacy Futures, Dan Guidone, have used social media to offer their support to pharmacies in the lockdown zones.
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