OPTIMISM about community pharmacy in Australia has reached an all time high, the latest edition of the University of Technology Sydney Pharmacy Barometer reveals.
The annual confidence reading taken in Sep and Oct 2020, climbed 17.8 points to 126.8 out of 200 from the previous high of 109 in 2019.
On the back of the introduction of the Seventh Community Pharmacy Agreement (7CPA) the authors noted that pharmacists were more confident in the potential economic growth of their business in the medium-term.
The barometer's authors noted that pharmacists "have apparently accepted the terms of the 7CPA and adapted to a changing workforce both professionally and economically due to COVID-19".
"Pharmacists satisfaction economically and professionally with the 7CPA was neutral, most likely due to it being relatively new and them still needing to become accustomed, and experiencing the potential financial and professional impacts," they said.
"Owner/owner managers were the most satisfied economically (22%) and professionally (29%) most likely due to the introduction of guaranteed dispensing remuneration while employed pharmacists were the least satisfied economically (6%) and professionally (9%)."
However, almost 70% of respondents said they did not support or were dissatisfied with the removal of payment for clinical interventions in the 7CPA.
In terms of the distribution of funding for dispensing and professional services, one-in-four felt greater funding should be allocated to dispensing fees, while 36% highlighted discontent with the level of funding that had been provided to professional services in the agreement, indicating that greater funding should have been allocated to professional services fees.
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