Pharmacy Daily | Pharmacists underutilised

PHARMACISTS have been snubbed by the Australian National Preventative Health Agency (ANPHA), according to Terry White Chemists founder Rhonda White. Speaking at the Australian Self Medication Industry (ASMI) Annual Conference, White said that despite being set up on 01 January this year to lead the fight against preventable diseases by targeting key indicators including obesity along with alcohol, tobacco and other substance abuse, ANPHA has not yet embraced pharmacists as a valuable resource. “The accessibility, sheer convenience and timeliness see pharmacists and the self care community strategically placed to assist with prevention and management of so many conditions which the Agency considers priority areas,” she said. Despite this set back however White urged pharmacists to continue to contribute to improved health literacy in the community and to make a positive impact on the cost of health for the nation. “More focus on promoting good health, interventions that help Australians to make well-informed decisions about health and the prevention of chronic disease, as well as consumer support programs to translate and interpret information into good personal health decisions are becoming more a part of the daily tasks community pharmacies and pharmacists undertake,” White said. “We know Australians are comfortable with receiving advice from pharmacists – a Nielsen survey recently reported 71 percent of those polled were willing to use a pharmacist as the first point of contact for their health concerns. “It’s time that the ANPHA caught up with the greater population and tapped into the role pharmacists can play in preventative health,” she added.

---

The above article was sent to subscribers in Pharmacy Daily's issue from 14 Dec 11
To see the full newsletter, see the embedded issue below or CLICK HERE to download Pharmacy Daily from 14 Dec 11