THE "venom" which has flooded the pages of medical professional website AusDoc in the wake of the Government's 60-day dispensing initiative has prompted one pharmacist to reach out directly to the publication's readers.
AusDoc this week published an opinion piece by pharmacist Luke Kelly from pharmacy sales experts S3 Pharmacy Brokers, who said that during his professional life he's had nothing but positive collaboration with GPs, as two parts of the health system that must work together.
"So I ask myself why the knee-jerk reaction to pharmacists defending their livelihood includes comments about 'greedy pharmacists'?
"Why does the RACGP seem to think its role is to disrupt the Pharmacy Guild of Australia?" Kelly asked, before proceeding to provide clarification around the "myths abounding in RACGP land" about how pharmacy is remunerated in Australia.
The detailed explanation notes that the combined $7.82 dispensing fee and $4.32 Administrative, Handling and Infrastructure Fee together provide "adequate remuneration for dispensing and the attached services, including packing of a dose administration aid, deliveries and advice".
"What will happen now is pharmacies will begin charging for these services...they will no longer be able to cross-subsidise them from a withered dispensing fee."
Kelly said this will affect the people the Government claims to be trying to help via the measure.
He's also predicting losses to pharmacy of $4 billion, compared to Government forecasts of $2.8 billion which are conservatively based on a 63% uptake of 60-day dispensing.
"Individual pharmacies relying on dispensary revenue will lose 20% of their income...on average...this will translate to a loss of around 50% on the bottom line; in too many cases it will be more than pharmacies are making," Kelly noted.
He also highlighted the recent revelations of the document developed by the Department of Health to assess the impact of the policy, which makes it clear that while the AMA and RACGP were consulted along with patient groups, there was no consultation with the pharmacy sector - and no consideration given to potential job losses, service cuts or price rises.
"I choose to believe the Government has been given inadequate advice...60-day dispensing seems to be set in stone, but the unintended consequences cannot be allowed to happen."
Kelly says that he is not a Guild member or pharmacy owner, but can see from dealing with pharmacy finances every day the policy is "potentially catastrophic".
He urged AusDoc readers to speak to their local community pharmacy and "find out for yourselves".
The above article was sent to subscribers in Pharmacy Daily's issue from 26 May 23
To see the full newsletter, see the embedded issue below or CLICK HERE to download Pharmacy Daily from 26 May 23
