Utilise Aussie pharmacists
January 31, 2012
THE Pharmaceutical Society of
Australia is calling on the
Government to provide $6.3m for
the establishment of the
Pharmacists and Chronic Disease
(PACD) program.
The calls are part of the PSA’s
2012-13 Budget submission, which
explains that the PACD would have
two components: the Pharmacists
in Remote Aboriginal Health
Services project; and the Mental
Health Liaison Pharmacist project.
According to the PSA the PACD
would target key shortcomings in
the safety and quality of health
services for high-risk population
groups in the community, create
synergies with additional value to
the Government’s health-reform
framework, address unmet needs
for services, build capacity in the
health workforce, and give
expression to the Government’s
policy objectives underpinning the
key national health strategies.
“PSA believes that for a small
investment by Government,
pharmacists can help deliver major
improvements to health outcomes
for patients with mental health
problems,” said National President
of the PSA, Grant Kardachi.
“A liaison pharmacist program
would help people with mental
health problems transition
between acute care – or the
hospital sector – back into the
community where most of their
care is provided,” he added.
Speaking about the Pharmacists
in Remote Aboriginal Health
Services project, Kardachi said that
“to date, the vast skills and
knowledge that pharmacists
possess have not been strategically
utilised to address shortcomings in
these areas and the PSA submission
for a pilot program presents a
pragmatic and cost-effective way to
start reversing this trend.”
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