HEALTH Minister Sussan Ley has announced the next round of grants for the Pharmacy Trial Program, with proposals sought for trials under four key priority areas:
* disease management of appropriate conditions - pharmacy models of shared collaborative primary health care;
* medicines management and reconciliation services for consumers ant the point of transition between care sectors to reduce the potential for medicines misadventure;
* new and innovative community pharmacist outreach services to residential aged care facilities; &
* screening and referral by pharmacists for cardiovascular risk.
"I'm looking forward to seeing ideas for innovative trials in community pharmacies that have the consumer at the centre, and deliver better clinical outcomes for those in the community," Ley said.
Funding for the trials is part of the $50 million allocated under the Sixth Community Pharmacy Agreement, with this latest round following the first tranche announced at the APP2016 conference in Mar.
The only tranche 1 program to so far progress to the stage of inviting participation from community pharmacies is the Pharmacy Diabetes Screening Trial (PD 19 Oct), with Guild executive director David Quilty last week expressing concern about the slow rollout of the trial program.
Ley said the second tranche of grants announced this week would provide a further avenue for patients to monitor and keep on top of their own health.
"I encourage the sector to think about potential partners and collaborations as part of this program, with an emphasis on high quality, evidence-based ideas that can be integrated with the broader health system," Ley said.
All of the trials will be assessed for their clinical and cost-effectiveness at the completion of the program, in order to inform a broader rollout of these services.
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