Negotiations to commence as soon as possible and conclude by 30 June 2024.
Health Minister Mark Butler has just announced the early commencement of talks for the 8th Community Pharmacy Agreement (8CPA).
In a statement he noted that the Pharmacy Guild of Australia and the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia will continue to be signatories, while consultations will also include patient groups, medicines wholesalers and “others who have a stake in the growth and development of pharmacy services that benefit all Australians”.
A new agreement will include an assessment of the effectiveness of the current 7CPA programs and also “take note of the past findings and recommendations of reviews into the sector”, with Butler saying “the future for pharmacy in Australia must be about more than dispensing revenue for pharmacy owners”.
“The new agreement will support the Government’s ongoing commitment to improving patient health outcomes and providing cheaper medicines for all Australians,” the Minister added, saying that while community pharmacies already play an integral role in the health care of their local communities, “the Government wants to see pharmacists play a larger role in the primary care sector by further supporting patients.”
More details in tomorrow’s issue of Pharmacy Daily.
