Pharmacy Daily | Pharmacy earns political praise in Qld

PRAISE was lavished on pharmacists at the Pharmacy Guild of Australia Queensland Branch's annual dinner at Parliament House in Brisbane on Wed.

Both State Deputy Premier and Health Minister, Steven Miles, and Liberal National Party Leader, Deb Frecklington (pictured), voiced support for expanding pharmacists' scope of practice.

"Pharmacies have an incredibly important role to play in our community," Miles said.

"They are trusted. They are local. They are convenient."

"Queensland Health is glad to work closely with the Guild to take care of the community.

"From expanding vaccinations to emergency provisions, to the Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) Pharmacy Pilot, electronic prescriptions and medications substitution - community pharmacies are there for Queenslanders."

"We'll only be able to quickly and safely vaccinate Queenslanders against COVID-19 with the assistance of the community pharmacy network."

Frecklington told guests at the event that pharmacists were valued health professionals who should be empowered to do more for patients in the state.

"There's a need and desire for community pharmacists to do even more as primary healthcare providers," she said.

"Thank you to all community pharmacists who continue to step up and make life easier for Queenslanders."

Queensland Guild Branch President, Trent Twomey, thanked the State Government for enacting legislation to support pharmacists in their response to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.

Somewhat conspicuously, statements from the event that have been released to the media made no reference to the controversial pharmacy-based COVID-19 testing trial announced last month (PD 12 Aug).

Meanwhile, the Guild acknowledged the efforts of Branch Strategy and Policy Manager, Tim Roberts, for his role in the launch of the UTI Pharmacy Pilot, and Branch Business Support Pharmacist, Elizabeth Whitehead for coordinating the expansion of the Guild Corporate Vaccination Program.