Pharmacy Daily | Patients back pharmacy to do more

CLOSE to two-thirds of Australians want to see pharmacists authorised to provide a broader range of health services including renewing prescriptions for ongoing treatment, the NAB Pharmacy Survey 2021 reveals.

The report noted that "compared to several other countries, pharmacists in Australia are more limited in terms of the services they can provide", however, a majority of respondents felt the profession should be empowered to do more.

"Most [consumers] believe pharmacists should be authorised to provide emergency dispensing of medicines (67%) and ongoing dispensing of oral contraceptive pills (66%)," the authors said.

"Around six-in-10 also think they should be able to renew prescriptions for ongoing treatment (62%), manage common conditions such as back pain and eczema (61%), view patient health records to ensure safe and effective use of medicines (60%), prescribe and administer appropriate travel health vaccines and medicines (60%), and diagnose and prescribe for minor ailments and illnesses (55%).

"Australians were in lowest agreement for authorising pharmacists to diagnose and prescribe medicines for more complex or serious ailments and illnesses (19%)."

When responses were broken down by age group, the desire for pharmacists to be allowed to provide prescription medications in emergency situations was highest among the over 65s (82%), while South Australians (79%) were the most supportive of the measure on a state-by-state basis.

Meanwhile, more than half of respondents said they would be prepared to pay to have an influenza vaccine administered in a community pharmacy, with 71% of Tasmanians backing such services.

A further 48% reported that they would be willing to accept out-of-pocket costs to receive travel health services including vaccination and advice from their local pharmacist, with 51% of female respondents supportive of pharmacists playing a greater role in this area.

Close to 40% of respondents said they would be willing to pay for pharmacy-based health programs related to smoking cessation, sleep apnoea, asthma management, and nutrition, while a similar proportion backed the profession to provide patient-funded wound management, health screening and minor ailment services.