Empower the women in your local community with the knowledge to make informed decisions about their reproductive choices.
Presentation and live Webinar:
Women’s health: contraception and termination of pregnancy
20 November 2018
The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) calls on Victoria’s political parties to improve Victorians’ access to healthcare by allowing pharmacists to do more, including through Medication Assisted Treatment for Opioid Dependence (MATOD) services.
PSA Victorian President Benjamin Marchant said pharmacists were the most frequently contacted health professionals in Victoria, yet their skills were not being put to full use.
“The upcoming Victorian state election is the ideal time to commit to new reforms for a healthier Victoria, and PSA urges Victorian political parties to take full advantage of the highly trained pharmacist workforce by committing to provide $2.2 million in seed funding for a pilot of the shared care model for MATOD services in Victoria.”
MATOD services consist of two key components to fight licit and illicit drug abuse and misuse – prescribing doctors or nurse practitioners, and pharmacists who dispense the medications and monitor treatment progress on a daily basis.
Mr Marchant said there was overwhelming evidence that illicit drugs and misuse of pharmaceutical medicines were a major community concern, creating a significant burden on the Victorian health system, law enforcement and community welfare.
“The referral pathway to support and manage addiction is at break ing point and MATOD services are under enormous pressure,” he said. “There is a severe shortage of MATOD prescribers despite the Victorian government’s repeated efforts over many years to recruit doctors and nurse practitioners.“
With the implementation of Victoria’s real-time prescription monitoring system, SafeScript, over the next 18 months, the demand for MATOD services is likely to increase significantly, putting additional pressure on the already strained prescriber pool.”
After consulting with a broad range of stakeholders, PSA has determined there is scope for pharmacists to support a more sustainable collaborative model that provides consumers with wider options, reduces pressure on prescribers and ensures a more holistic approach to patients’ wellbeing.
Mr Marchant said,“There is strong evidence that government funding for MATOD would enhance compliance, minimise stigma and encourage more pharmacists to offer this much-needed service. This funding has received universal support from the Victorian Alcohol and Other Drugs sector and is one of the recommendations of the Victorian Parliamentary Inquiry on Drug Law Reform.”
To support this service, PSA calls on Victorian political parties to fully fund MATOD dispensing and management fees for patients.
PSA also urges political parties to allow the public to be able to receive the full range of National Immunisation Program vaccines from pharmacists.
“Victorian pharmacists have provided vaccinations since 2016 and the public has given excellent feedback on the safety and convenience of this service,” Mr Marchant said. “More Victorians than ever have been immunised, including many people for the first time.”
International and local research has shown pharmacists can boost vaccination rates, and independent research commissioned by PSA has revealed almost two-in-three Australians believe pharmacists should be able to administer a broader range of vaccinations.
Mr Marchant said, “The restricted range of pharmacist vaccination is needlessly forcing people to visit multiple providers to get fully immunised under the National Immunisation Program, creating unnecessary barriers that compromise the population’s overall immunity.“
Victorians clearly value the work pharmacists are doing and believe they can do more. Now is the time to remove these constraints to give the public better access to the health services they need.”
PSA is also calling for the appointment of a Chief Pharmacist in Victoria to make better use of pharmacist resources.
“The Chief Pharmacist would provide a crucial link between regulation, programs, funding and infrastructure. This much-needed position would foster collaboration between pharmacy and other
health professions, and provide advice to the government to advance policy development, planning and health reform,” Mr Marchant said.
“Pharmacists are a critical part of the Victorian health system, helping to implement major reforms such as real-time prescription monitoring, Supercare 24-hour pharmacies, chronic diseases management and drug law reform.“
The above measures are urgently needed to improve health outcomes for Victorians and ease the burden on the overloaded health system.”
Download the Victorian Election booklet here.
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Media Contact
Jarryd Luke,
Senior Communications Officer
0487 922 176
Australian Healthcare Associates (AHA) announces that it has been awarded a services agreement by the Australian Government to administer the 23 Community Pharmacy Programs funded under the Sixth Community Pharmacy Agreement. AHA will commence administration of these important programs from 1 February 2019.
AHA was awarded this services agreement following a competitive tender process undertaken by the Department of Health and has substantial experience administering government programs. Notably, AHA currently administers the Community Service Obligation (CSO) Funding Pool and the Chemotherapy Compounding Payment Scheme on behalf of the Department.
Richard Stock, AHA Founding Director, said, “Our aim is to build on the committed work of the Guild which has administered these programs over many years, to ensure professional and efficient payment for services to pharmacies and other stakeholders.”
AHA will engage the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) to advise on and support the administration of these programs.
Dr Shane Jackson, PSA President, said, “PSA will provide subject matter know-how to assist AHA to ensure program administration is efficient and effective for pharmacies. We will draw on our sector expertise and extensive network to deliver education and training, as well as coordinate communications and stakeholder management activities.”
In early 2019, AHA will:
AHA will operate under the name ‘Pharmacy Programs Administrator’ for the administration of these programs and future media releases and communications will be issued under this branding.
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Media Contact:
Jarryd Luke
0487 922 176
Pharmacists will be able to protect the NSW public against whooping cough and measles, the NSW Government has announced in a move welcomed by the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA).
Pharmacists will help make immunisation more accessible by vaccinating against diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (dTpa) and measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) from 1 January 2019.
The dTPa and MMR vaccines, along with the influenza vaccines pharmacists currently provide, will be available to patients 16 years and over.
PSA NSW President Professor Peter Carroll congratulated the Government for allowing pharmacists to provide more vaccines.
“Many people within the community do not regularly visit a GP, and allowing accredited pharmacists to administer dTpa and MMR vaccines will significantly increase the immunisation rate within the community, and reduce the incidence of these diseases.
“The administration of vaccines by pharmacists complements the excellent work done by GPs. It increases the immunisation rate, and has a positive effect on people’s health in NSW.”
As the peak national body for pharmacists, PSA has advocated for many years in collaboration with the Pharmacy Guild of Australia to allow pharmacists to deliver more vaccinations.
Pharmacists in NSW have given influenza vaccines to people 18 years and over since 2016. They already provide dTpa and MMR vaccinations in other states such as the Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia and Victoria.
The Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Health Council recently announced their decision to establish a working group to consider a nationally consistent approach to pharmacist administered vaccinations.
PSA National President Dr Shane Jackson said a nationally consistent approach would make vaccinations more accessible for all Australians.
“I commend the NSW Government for making full use of pharmacists’ expertise and training to better protect the community.
“We look forward to working with the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee to ensure pharmacists across the country are better equipped to provide a wide range of vaccinations.”
PSA will contact pharmacists in NSW about the training available for them to provide vaccinations.
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Media contact: Jarryd Luke, Senior Communications Officer – 0487 922 176
Respected pharmacist Graeme Holloway received the Tasmanian Pharmacist Lifetime Achievement Award at the fifth annual Tasmanian Pharmacist Dinner on Saturday 20 October.
Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) National President Dr Shane Jackson presented the award to Mr Holloway at the iconic Henry Jones Art Hotel on the Hobart waterfront.
Tom Simpson won Pharmacist of the Year at the awards night, while Emma Shepperd took home the Early Career Pharmacist Award.
The event was a collaboration between PSA, the Pharmacy Guild of Australia, the Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia (SHPA) and the University of Tasmania Pharmacy Department.
PSA National President Dr Shane Jackson congratulated Mr Holloway and said his dedication to pharmacy had helped raise the standards of the profession and pharmacy organisations.
“Graeme was a fantastic mentor, not only to his own staff but to the hospital pharmacy interns he trained in his own time,” he said. “He was also recognised earlier this year when he was awarded PSA Life Fellow status at the PSA18 national conference in Sydney.”
Mr Holloway is a former president and national delegate of the Pharmacy Board of Tasmania, responsible for redrafting the Tasmanian Pharmacy Act.
Tom Simpson, the Executive Director of Statewide Hospital Pharmacy in Tasmania, was presented with the Pharmacist of the Year Award by SHPA National President Professor Michael Dooley.
Prof Dooley said, “Tom has applied his broad skillset, creativity and patient focus in a variety of roles including establishing Tasmania’s digital medical record system. In pharmacy he has shown passionate commitment to improving medication safety across Tasmania’s health system, including establishing rural pharmacy services to ensure patients in rural hospitals receive the same level of pharmacy care they would in acute hospitals.”
Emma Shepperd was announced the winner of the Early Career Pharmacist Award by Pharmacy Guild of Australia National President George Tambassis.
“Emma has successfully developed professional services, health promotions and community programs in the small town of Triabunna on the East Coast, attracting national news coverage,” Mr
Tambassis said. “She is the embodiment of a caring community pharmacist making a difference.”
Pharmacist Greg Kay was also awarded the Guild Distinguished Service Award, and Harvey Cuthill OAM received PSA Life Membership.
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Media contact:
Jarryd Luke
Senior Communications Officer
0487 922 176
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The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) welcomes recommendations made by the Inquiry into the establishment of a pharmacy council and pharmacy ownership in Queensland – 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 National President Dr Shane Jackson said PSA welcomes the Committee’s recommendation to support current provisions relating to the ownership of pharmacies by pharmacists in Queensland.
“The current pharmacy ownership system supports patient safety and helps maintain public confidence in high-quality pharmacy services being provided in Queensland,” Dr Jackson said.
PSA Acting Queensland President Chris Campbell said, “We welcome the Committee’s recommendation that the Department of Health lower the minimum patient age requirement for pharmacist-administered vaccinations to 16 years of age.
“The success of the Queensland Pharmacist Immunisation Pilot (QPIP), which led to pharmacists being able to vaccinate across Australia, has seen significant community health benefits including improved accessibility, patient satisfaction and lower out-of-pockets costs for patients.
“PSA also welcomes the recommendation for pharmacists to dispense emergency and repeat prescriptions, and that any change in pharmacists’ scope of practice should be underpinned by appropriate credentialing and training.
“The above recommendations are a step in the right direction but there are still more opportunities to take advantage of pharmacists’ unique expertise to better support the health of all Queenslanders.
“Pharmacists are one of the most trusted and accessible health professionals in Queensland, but their skills have not been put to full use because legislation hinders some areas of practice.”
PSA embraces the recommendation to establish a pharmacy advisory council containing a diverse range of members to provide expert advice to the Department of Health. We also agree with the recommendation from the Auditor-General that the Department of Health should strengthen processes and controls to ensure pharmacy ownership complies with the Pharmacy Business Ownership Act 2001.
PSA, as the peak professional body for pharmacists representing all of Queensland’s 5,800 Queensland pharmacists, looks forward to working with the Department of Health and the Queensland Government to continue making the most of the skills and expertise of pharmacists to provide the best healthcare for Queenslanders.
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Media contact:
Jarryd Luke
Senior Communications Officer
0487 922 176
The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) welcomes the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Health Council’s decision to establish a working group to consider a nationally consistent approach to pharmacist administered vaccinations.
PSA President Dr Shane Jackson said, “We applaud the Health Council’s initiative to build on the success of pharmacist vaccinations.
“Research has shown internationally and locally that pharmacists are considered highly accessible and they can boost vaccination rates, contributing to a reduced burden on our already over-burdened healthcare system.”
A national approach to pharmacist administered vaccination will reduce confusion, ensure better access for patients to quality vaccination services and utilise the pharmacy workforce appropriately.
“Regulation of pharmacist immunisers varies from state to state. It doesn’t make sense that pharmacists can only vaccinate for meningococcal disease in Tasmania and pertussis in some states such as South Australia, Victoria and Queensland.”
Pharmacists have provided vaccinations since 2014, and across all states and territories since 2016, leading to increased vaccination rates, including many people being vaccinated for the first time. Independent research commissioned by PSA has revealed almost two-in-three Australians believe pharmacists should be able to administer a broader range of vaccinations.
PSA has consistently called for:
COAG Health Council has tasked the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee to establish a working group which will consider and recommend options for a nationally consistent approach for pharmacist administered vaccinations.
“We look forward to working with the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee on this muchneeded initiative,” Dr Jackson said.
Media contact:
Jarryd Luke, Senior Communications Officer
0487 922 176
Community pharmacy’s involvement in the Health Care Homes trial, agreed to last year under the Pharmacy Compact as The Community Pharmacy in Health Care Homes Trial Program, presents an opportunity for community pharmacists to expand their involvement in coordinated and integrated care which is tailored to patient needs.
Training modules for the Community Pharmacy in Health Care Homes Trial Program (Trial Program) are now available on the Pharmacy Guild’s GuildEd learning platform and the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia’s (PSA) 6CPA Resource Hub. This series of modules have been developed collaboratively by the PSA and the Pharmacy Guild.
The training modules are tailored for pharmacies involved in the Trial Program, which is an interprofessional collaboration initiative funded under the 6th Community Pharmacy Agreement.
Pharmacies involved in the Trial Program will work in collaboration with general practices and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services to deliver patient-centred medication management services to patients with chronic or complex health needs.
The training package of 10 modules underpin the Trial Program’s aim to allow greater integration of community pharmacy into the healthcare team. One module has been specifically designed to assist pharmacy assistants in their role of helping to implement and deliver the trial program to enrolled patients.
The CPD accredited modules are:
PSA has also developed Guidelines for pharmacists participating in the Community Pharmacy in Health Care Homes Trial Program to support effective implementation by pharmacists.
For more information on the training modules, contact either the Guild on (03) 9810 9930 or email learninganddevelopment@guild.org.au or PSA on 1300 369 772 or visit https://my.psa.org.au/s/article/Health-Care-Homes-Trial-Program.
More information on the Community Pharmacy in Health Care Homes trial program is available on the 6CPA website or please call the 6CPA helpline on 1300 555 262 or email healthcarehomes@6cpa.com.au.
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Media contacts:
PSA: Jarryd Luke 0487 922 176
Guild: Greg Turnbull 0412 910 261
How can patients benefit from this, and how can pharmacist play a bigger role in the healthcare system. Join Ravi Sharma to hear more about pharmacists prescribing in the UK. Learn from his experience and evidence on pharmacists prescribing models. Register here.
In the spirit of reconciliation, the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today. We recognise that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples were our first pharmacists.
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