THE Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) is calling on the Federal Government to invest $197.8 million over the next four years to support aged care facilities to recruit pharmacists to reduce preventable medicines-related harm, as part of its 2021/22 Pre-Budget Submission.
PSA National President, Associate Professor Chris Freeman, said the Royal Commission into Aged Care's interim report highlighted the critical need to improve medicines safety in the aged care sector.
"The interim report highlighted widespread over-prescribing of drugs which sedate residents - often without clear consent - rendering them drowsy and unresponsive to visiting family and removing their ability to interact with people," he said.
"Inappropriately sedating residents of aged care facilities is not care, it's an abrogation of responsibility that must be addressed.
"We have seen that the role of pharmacists embedded within aged care facilities has been well received by patients, family members and healthcare professionals, and we call on the Government to dedicate 0.5 full-time equivalent pharmacists per 100 aged care residents."
The PSA President also called on the Government to establish a medicines safety in aged care resource and support program, fund pharmacists within Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services, and to set up a nationally coordinated pharmacovigilance system for primacy care.
"The Government needs to work with pharmacists to implement these recommendations to achieve positive health outcomes for the Australian community," he said.
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