GREATER Federal Government funding for hospital and aged care pharmacy services could reap significant savings, the Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia (SHPA) believes.
In its pre-Budget submission the SHPA said clinical pharmacy services in hospital delivered savings of $22 for every $1 invested in hospital pharmacy through a combination of increased medicine optimisation, reduced prescribing, shorter length of stay and increased adherence.
The SHPA called for more than $100 million to be invested in hospital and aged care pharmacy services annually, with the bulk of the funding to support the Society's recommendation that aged care facilities should have one whole-time equivalent pharmacist for every 200 residents, to deliver evidence-based, best practice, clinical pharmacy services.
"Recent Australian evidence that highlighted that embedded clinical pharmacist services in aged care homes can reduce medication-related problems, polypharmacy and adverse medication events, while also being cost-effective," the SHPA submission said.
"Evidence from Victoria on a clinical pharmacy model in a home nursing service indicates a return on investment of $1.54 for every $1 spent is achieved through embedding pharmacists to improve medicines management.
"Clinical pharmacist services can improve medicines management through a range of patient-focused services that aim to minimise the inherent risks associated with medicines, ensure medicines are used appropriately and optimise health outcomes of the elderly."
The SHPA also called for $600,000 a year to support its ongoing activities, $300,000 for a pharmacy workforce study and $200,000 annually for an opioid stewardship support liason role.
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