THE Government's new $20m Pain MedsCheck program (PD breaking news Fri) will see pharmacists "build relationships with GPs and other health professionals who support patients with chronic pain," according to Health Minister Greg Hunt who announced the move with Guild president George Tambassis at his Vermont South Amcal Pharmacy.
Pain MedsCheck will operate under the banner of the 6CPA and has the potential to engage all of Australia's 5,700 community pharmacies who will be able to assist patients who are taking medication to deal with chronic pain that has been on-going for three months or longer.
Through a Pain MedsCheck, a pharmacist will evaluate and review a patient's medicine and the pain management program that is being undertaken, ensuring it is supporting their clinical need.
The Pharmacy Guild of Australia and the PSA will jointly manage the program which will involve face-to-face consultations with patients to review their medication and analgesic use.
The service will include the provision of information about accessing additional support, or where appropriate a referral to the patient's GP, allied health professional or pain specialist in their local area, with pharmacists encouraged to complete training to ensure they are able to deliver counselling support to assist patients with the management of chronic pain.
Guild national president George Tambassis said, "This is great for patients, and a significant boost to the capacity of pharmacies to make a contribution to the management of chronic pain."
PSA president Shane Jackson said the Society welcomed the new opportunity for pharmacists to be funded to spend extra time with patients to review and discuss their concerns about pain, saying the initiative is expected to result in better care for Australians.
However some doctors are not so sure about the move, with Australian Medical Association president Michael Gannon slamming the program as "another slap in the face for GPs, the real community health experts".
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