Pharmacy Daily | WIP cap to limit savings: PSA warns

CAPPING funding for the Workforce Incentive Program (WIP) will restrict the savings general practices can achieve by integrating pharmacists into their teams, the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) warns.

While PSA National President Dr Chris Freeman, welcomed the decision to include pharmacists as one of the allied health professionals general practices can engage through the program, from 01 Feb, he warned the fund cap could limit the success of the program going forward.

In its pre-Budget submission (PD Thu), the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia called for the value of the WIP per Standardised Whole Patient Equivalent and the upper limit cap on larger general practices to both be increased by 50%.

"We estimate integrating pharmacists into general practice would yield a net saving of $544.87 million to the health system over four years," Freeman said.

"In the meantime, PSA would encourage general practices and pharmacists to consider the opportunity the current expansion of the WIP creates and consider how they can work together to improve health outcomes in their local community."

Having worked extensively in the GP-setting Freeman noted the benefits of having pharmacists integrated into general practice.

"Research shows integrating a pharmacist into the primary care team can improve health outcomes for patients with chronic diseases such as diabetes, osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease; and reduce medicine-related problems, total number of medicines and inappropriately prescribed medicines."

Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) President, Dr Harry Nespolon, described the decision to fund pharmacists through the WIP as a "positive development".

"The RACGP values team-based models of care in which a range of healthcare professionals can contribute towards patient health outcomes, maximising use of their skills within their scope of practice," he said.