Pharmacy Daily | PGNZ on NZ budget

THE Pharmacy Guild of New Zealand (PGNZ) said it could see potential for community pharmacy in the funding allocated to the health sector in the New Zealand 2014-15 budget (PD 15 May). District Health Boards had about $320m available next year for extra services and to help meet cost pressures, and the Guild said it was hopeful community pharmacy would be considered in these new initiatives and as a provider of new services to help improve the health of NZ communities. Ceo Lee Hohaia said the Guild welcomed the additional funding to rural general practices and trusted there would be funding for rural community pharmacy to allow the benefit to be fully realised. The $20m allocated for the rheumatic fever prevention program was a potential highlight for community pharmacy, she said. “Community pharmacy is ideally placed to support the identification and management of at-risk groups and the Guild would strongly advocate for community pharmacy to receive additional funding to provide accessible services to high risk communities. “Pharmacists are also ideally placed to provide medicines adherence support to the elderly with dementia and we hope with increased funding we will be able to work with the funder to provide this support. “The value of pharmacy has also been acknowledged, with pharmacy being one of four science-based subjects chosen to receive extra funds from the tertiary education budget.”

---

The above article was sent to subscribers in Pharmacy Daily's issue from 19 May 14
To see the full newsletter, see the embedded issue below or CLICK HERE to download Pharmacy Daily from 19 May 14