MENTAL Health recognition: The Pharmacy Guild of Australia has welcomed the appointment of Dr Ruth Vine as the country's first Deputy Chief Medical Officer for Mental Health.
"This is an appropriate and timely recognition of the prevalence of mental health conditions in today's society, and of the focus and resources mental health responses require in our health system," a Guild spokesperson said.
The appointment aligns with the growing importance of community pharmacies in providing accessible services to mental health patients.
As frontline health professionals, pharmacists are often the first health professional contacted by a consumer with a health concern.
Pharmacists are frequently consulted for advice on psychotropic medications and their accessibility and frequent contact with mental health consumers and carers means they are ideally placed to continue playing a greater role in the management of mental illness or conditions.
The above article was sent to subscribers in Pharmacy Daily's issue from 19 May 20
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