ELIGIBILITY criteria for people seeking to access the Rural Locum Assistance Program (RLAP) needs to be changed to avoid the closure of rural and remote pharmacies, Western Australian pharmacist, Nathalka Sakalo, believes.
Sakalo launched an online petition this morning, following reports that a rural pharmacy in Tasmania has been forced to close, after the store's owner, Mark Fletcher (the only pharmacist in Strahan), died last year.
Fletcher's widow, Julie, has relied on locum pharmacists to keep the pharmacy open, while attempting to find someone to takeover the business.
However, she told ABC News that she had attempted to access the RLAP to secure cover, but had been knocked back, because she is not a registered pharmacist.
The rejection has forced Fletcher to close the pharmacy for a number of days this week.
"They cover a range of people, like doctors, but not pharmacy assistants or owners of pharmacies," she said.
"It's totally unjust, it's totally unfair.
"I can't understand why I can't get funding for four weeks a year, because I'm not a pharmacist."
Sakalo said it was not the first time that rural communities have lost pharmacy services due to the RLAP criteria.
"There have been multiple instances in very remote and rural locations that a non-pharmacist has needed to apply to keep the pharmacy doors open," she said.
"Their application has been rejected based solely on their lack of pharmacist registration, and the pharmacy has needed to close its doors.
"This can be disastrous for those remote locations, who rely on the pharmacy for life-saving medications and basic healthcare.
Tasmanian Premier, Jeremy Rockliff, has weighed in on the issue, sending a letter to Federal Minister for Health and Aged Care, Mark Butler, seeking support to enable the pharmacy to remain open.
"I ask that you consider Julie's circumstances for assistance by the RLAP and consider whether exceptional circumstances like those in Strahan may be considered for this valuable service," he wrote.
Rockliff noted that Fletcher had kept the store open through "determination, goodwill and the support of the Tasmanian Branch of the Pharmacy Guild of Australia".
CLICK HERE to access Sakalo's petition.
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