THE Pharmaceutical Society of Australia and the Pharmacy Guild have both welcomed recommendations made by the Queensland Parliamentary Inquiry into the establishment of a pharmacy council and pharmacy ownership policy (PD breaking news), including key elements which would expand opportunities for pharmacy practice.
The PSA said the report was a "move in the right direction for pharmacists practising to their full scope, and for maintaining the strong pharmacy ownership structure that has served the Queensland public well".
PSA Queensland Acting President, Chris Campbell, particularly hailed a recommendation to lower the minimum patient age for pharmacy vaccinations to 16, with the Queensland Pharmacist Immunisation Pilot leading to pharmacists being able to vaccinate across Australia, which has seen significant community health benefits.
Campbell also welcomed the recommendation for pharmacists to dispense emergency and repeat prescriptions, as well as a proposed pharmacy advisory council to provide expert advice to the Department of Health.
Trent Twomey, Queensland Pharmacy Guild Branch President, said the findings of the inquiry would "pave the way for pharmacists to operate to the full extent of their training" and take pressure off the health system.
"An expanded role for community pharmacists would deliver nationwide savings in hospital costs, aged care and GP costs and see workforce productivity rise.
"It will make it easier for Queenslanders to get treatment by allowing pharmacists to use their full potential to administer vaccinations, to treat minor conditions and continue to dispense medicines already prescribed," Twomey said.
Current ownership restrictions were supported, but the inquiry did not recommend the establishment of a Pharmacy Council to oversee ownership requirements and pharmacy premises standards.
The committee said there was no evidence that other Australian states with such bodies had better community outcomes, and no evidence that the existing premises regulation was resulting in unsafe conditions in Qld pharmacies.
The Government will consider the report and publish a response in the coming months.
The full report is available online at parliament.qld.gov.au.
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