FRESH funding should be provided for a number of pharmacist-led services in the 2020-21 Federal Budget, to boost medicines safety, the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) believes.
In its pre-Budget submission, the PSA called on the Federal Government to allocate more than $29 million, over four years, for a number of services designed to boost patient outcomes, and the appointment of a Commonwealth Chief Pharmacist.
PSA National President, Dr Chris Freeman, said $15.4 million should be invested in a Rural Pharmacy Enhanced Services Program, to empower rural pharmacists to do more for their patients.
"It has been very clear during the recent bushfire emergency the role of rural pharmacists and their willingness to step up in times of need. We want to be able to support our rural pharmacists to do more to be able to help their communities," he said.
"Investing in a Rural Pharmacy Enhanced Services Program will help keep pharmacists in the bush and support delivery of services such as smoking cessation, chronic disease management, health screening, wound care and mental health triage and referral."
The PSA also recommended that the Government should provide $8.7 million to deliver resources and support to enable pharmacists working in aged care to improve the quality use of medicines in the sector, and reduce the current reliance on high-risk medications.
With three Australians dying every day from opioid overdose the PSA has proposed a $4 million, 18-month pilot program of opioid stewardship pharmacists in general practice to combat the misuse of the pain medications.
"A collaborative opioid stewardship program, actively supported by pharmacists, will allow us to improve, monitor and evaluate opioid use and increase safety and effectiveness of opioid use and pain management in primary care," he said.
The PSA has also pushed the Government to boost the value tiers of the Workforce Incentive Program per Standardised Whole Patient Equivalent by 50%.
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