Pharmacy reforms call
February 9, 2016
THE Pharmaceutical Society of
Australia (PSA) has called upon the
Australian government for a range
of reforms designed to deliver cost effective
sustainable healthcare
solutions, in its Pre-Budget
Submission 2016-17.
Integrating pharmacists into
general practice clinics, better
utilising the role of pharmacists
in healthcare and introducing a
national real-time recording and
reporting system for medicines
form the three major platforms of
the PSA submission.
National president Joe Demarte
said pharmacists are highly qualified
health professionals
however their skills, knowledge
and expertise often go under-recognised
and under-utilised.
“The PSA is calling on the Federal
Government to consider how
existing health resources can be
better coordinated and targeted
within a collaborative primary
healthcare model to improve health
outcomes for all Australians,”
Demarte said.
“As a result, the PSA has
recommended having pharmacists
co-located in general practice
clinics to deliver a range of
interventions and achieve improved
health outcomes and quality use of
medicines.”
This latter model is supported by
medical leaders and the Australian
Medical Association,
he reminded.
“We welcome support from
the medical profession and urge
the Government to consider the
implementation of this model of
practice as an election-year Budget
priority in its reform of the primary
care system,” Demarte said.
Among other reforms proposed,
the PSA highlighted the need
for continued development and
innovation of the pharmacy
workforce through funding training
opportunities in non-traditional
settings and the provision of
eHealth incentives.
“Investment by the Government
in such initiatives would be
offset by reductions in chronic
disease expenditure and reduced
hospitalisations for the population
of Australians beset by the poorest
health outcomes.”
The PSA also called for better use
of digital health and innovation
in the health sector to deliver
integrated care with urgent
consideration of a national real time
reporting and recording
system to reduce harms and deaths
associated with poor coordination
of care and inappropriate
prescribing of medicines.
“Pharmacists are critical to the
Government’s efforts to achieve
sustainable, efficient and quality
healthcare,” Demarte summarised.
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