CONCERNS over opioid misuse in Australia are behind a rare pre-Budget submission from the Pharmacy Guild of Australia.
The Guild has called on the Federal Government to allocate more than $425 million over the next four years to boost access to opioid dependence treatment (ODT) through community pharmacies and ensuring equity of access to treatment "irrespective of where a person lives".
Under the model proposed in the Guild's submission ODT would be recognised as a Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) benefit, with the Federal Government funding in-pharmacy dose management and provision of take-away ODT medicines, as well as the administration of injectable medicines by trained pharmacists providing program consistency in access, care and support for eligible community-based patients.
Guild National President, George Tambassis, said the measure would help reduce the health, social and economic costs of substance misuse.
"We recognise the significant public benefits of the treatment programs and their capacity to assist individuals to be productive members of society," he said.
"Given the magnitude of the issue we believe that a national coordinated approach to the management and treatment of opioid misuse is required.
"There are nearly 150 hospitalisations and 14 emergency department presentations involving opioid harm every day in Australia, and three people die from drug-induced deaths involving opioid use daily.
"These are alarming statistics and we must act on them without hesitation.
"Our submission offers a practical and pragmatic approach to helping address this growing problem."
The Guild also called on the Federal Government to allocate $8.6 million - or $1,500 per eligible pharmacy - "as part of the change management requirements to prepare pharmacies and support consumers with the national rollout of electronic prescriptions" in the 2021/22 financial year.
Tambassis noted the introduction of e-scripts will help reduce medication errors.
"Community pharmacies have been required to adapt and invest the most when integrating e-prescriptions into both their clinical and business workflows and as volumes increase, the need for pharmacies to access and utilise appropriate IT infrastructure will only increase," Tambassis said.
"In our submission we are calling for support to help pharmacies enact the necessary changes to ensure e-prescribing is able to live up to its expectations as a major tool in reducing medication errors."
The funding would be in addition to the $18.3 billion Seventh Community Pharmacy Agreement.
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