Report poses 140 questions, seeks public feedback on future of pharmacy.
The government has just announced the release of the Review of Pharmacy Remuneration and Regulation discussion paper, with public submissions on the issues raised now invited.
Chairman Stephen King said the paper aims to stimulate debate on both the current arrangements for pharmacy remuneration and regulation, and how they may be improved in the interests of the Australian community.
“The Paper presents a large number of questions…they are intended to challenge respondents to analyse current arrangements, re-think the role of community pharmacy and consider new and innovative ideas on what community pharmacy could look like in the future,” he said.
King said the review ties in with the government’s broad reform agenda, and any recommendations will be consistent with wider changes in the primary care system.
Written submissions are due before 23 September 2016, and a short online questionnaire targeting both consumers and pharmacists will also shortly be made available for completion by 18 September 2016. There will also be a series of consultation sessions across the country kicking off early next month, as revealed by Pharmacy Daily this morning.
The full discussion paper can be accessed by CLICKING HERE.
MEANWHILE the Pharmacy Guild has issued a response, saying it is its “strongly held view that the current community pharmacy model serves Australian health consumers and taxpayers extremely well”.
“The delivery of PBS medicines through the network of community pharmacies is an outstanding success story within our health system…it is a model which should be built on for the benefit of patients – not dismantled in the name of deregulation and economic theories,” the Guild said in a statement.
More details in tomorrow’s issue of Pharmacy Daily.
