SHORTAGES of GPs across Australia are behind the Australian Greens push to empower pharmacists to provide women with access to oral contraceptives.
Greens Senate Leader and Spokesperson for Women, Senator Larissa Waters, has called on the Community Affairs Reference Committee to conduct an inquiry into barriers to achieving universal access to sexual and reproductive health information, treatment and support for women.
Waters told Pharmacy Daily that the party wanted to boost access to contraceptives.
"There are clear benefits to making contraceptives available under pharmacist or nurse-led care," she said.
"It can help promote regular and consistent use of contraceptives and prevent inadvertent breaks in contraceptive administration because you can't get to the GP.
"The Therapeutic Goods Association (TGA) in 2021 found on an interim basis that the risks of making the contraceptive pill available over-the-counter outweighed the benefits.
"The Greens are very keen to explore this and any other way of making contraceptives more accessible."
Waters added that "improper access to sexual and reproductive health services, and appropriate sexual health literacy, is a serious healthcare issue and must be addressed as such".
"Empowering healthcare professionals, whether that's pharmacists, nurses or culturally safe frontline services, to engage with people about sexual and reproductive health will improve access," she said.
"An inquiry allows us to look at ways to do that, while maintaining quality of care.
"The Australian Greens will continue to demand better support and care for those who need any sexual health or reproductive service whenever, wherever, and however they want to access it."
The above article was sent to subscribers in Pharmacy Daily's issue from 12 Oct 22
To see the full newsletter, see the embedded issue below or CLICK HERE to download Pharmacy Daily from 12 Oct 22
