A ‘momentous’ day: PSA welcomes start of vaccine roll out

 

The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia – the peak organisation representing Australia’s 34,000 pharmacists – has labelled today a momentous day in Australia’s history as Phase 1a of the COVID-19 vaccination strategy commences.

 

PSA National President, Associate Professor Chris Freeman, said pharmacists across Australia are excited by the first doses being administered today as the COVID-19 vaccine roll out marks the beginning of Australia’s exit from the pandemic.

 

‘Australia’s health response to the pandemic has been led by expert scientific health advice, and our national COVID-19 vaccination strategy is no different,” A/Prof Freeman said.

 

‘All Australians can have confidence in the safety and effectiveness of approved COVID-19 vaccines which will be administered by competent, well-trained vaccinators, including pharmacists.”

 

Pharmacists working in Victoria’s COVID-19 hubs are among the first frontline health workers to be immunised against COVID-19 today ahead of going into quarantine hotels to support the workforce vaccination program this week.

 

PSA has worked with the Australian Government as well state and territory health departments in preparing for today’s roll-out. This includes consultation to support recent regulatory milestones, including:

• • Victoria has issued a Public Health Emergency Order providing approval for pharmacists and nurse immunisers to administer COVID-19 vaccines;
  • South Australia has issued approval for pharmacists to administer COVID-19 vaccine; and
  • The Northern Territory Parliament passed regulations last week to allow all authorised immunisers, including pharmacists, to administer COVID-19 vaccines.

 

These jurisdictions join Queensland in authorising pharmacists to administer COVID-19 vaccines. PSA will continue to inform members as other states and territories update their regulations.

 

Pharmacists have shown enthusiasm in the COVID-19 vaccinator workforce:

 

“Around 1,000 pharmacist registered for a PSA COVID-19 webinar last week – keen to learn how they can support the COVID-19 vaccine roll out, and stand willing and able to protect the Australia community against this awful disease,” A/Prof Freeman said.

 

‘PSA will continue to support the profession through the COVID-19 vaccine roll out, including training more pharmacists to become vaccinators, maintaining our leading COVID-19 microsite and working with governments around the country to ensure the roll-out reaches as many Australians as possible.”

 

Media contact: PSA media 0487 922 176

Pharmacists respond to the COVID19 vaccine challenge

19 February 2021; Australia’s pharmacists are responding to the Federal Government’s call to assist in the COVID-19 vaccination program, with 1,000 pharmacists registering and more than 700 attending a Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) webinar session last night in preparation for their involvement in Phase 1 and 2 of the vaccination rollout.

 

The webinar – which included senior government officials leading the COVID-19 vaccination plan joining PSA President, Associate Professor Chris Freeman – provided information on the Commonwealth program, the role of pharmacists in Phase 1, the final call for Phase 2 Expressions of Interest to administer the vaccine through community pharmacy, and training and education to deliver the vaccine.

 

The PSA session had strong engagement from members seeking to learn more about the Commonwealth’s rollout plans, which included information about training and state-by-state implementation, the pharmacists’ role, how to register for the program, and common questions around requirements to administer COVID-19 vaccines.

 

A/Prof Freeman said the response from pharmacists to the webinar session had shown the high levels of interest and support for the COVID vaccine rollout.
“It is fantastic to see the level of support from our members – pharmacists will providing that support when vaccinations begin in March, and to deliver the AstraZeneca vaccine when the community pharmacy rollout commences in May,” he said.

 

“Pharmacists are well placed to assist in this program and the attendance at last night’s PSA webinar clearly demonstrates the commitment of our members and desire to ensure we understand the protocols and get the right training to deliver these vaccines safely.”

 

The PSA webinar was hosted by A/Prof Freeman and included the Health Department’s First Assistant Secretary Lisa Schofield, responsible for the whole-of-government taskforce on COVID-19 vaccine, and First Assistant Secretary Adriana Platona, responsible for the Community Pharmacy EOI call.

 

Clinical, logistical and separate State requirements were discussed and the pharmacists put forward more than 100 questions to the Health officials and PSA. All responses to the questions will be included in a COVID FAQ section on the PSA microsite -http://www-dev/coronavirus/#COVID-19-vaccines.

 

A/Prof Freeman noted that the South Australian Government yesterday joined with Queensland in approving pharmacists to administer the COVID-19 vaccine.

 

“This is all a part of the move to bring pharmacists into the rollout program – PSA and its members stand ready, willing and as last night’s webinar showed, increasingly able to be a major part of this massive vaccination program to protect Australians,” he added.

 

The webinar is available to view on the PSA website – https://my.psa.org.au/s/training-plan/a110o00000AiOWE/webinar-recording-are-you-ready-for-the-covid19-vaccine-roll-out – for members to access.

 

PDF media release: Pharmacists respond to the COVID19 vaccine challenge

PSA invites pharmacists to become part of COVID-19 vaccination program

Monday 1 February 2021; The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia is urging pharmacists to join Australia’s fight against COVID-19 by taking up the Federal Government’s call to assist in rolling out the COVID-19 vaccination program to the community.

 

Community pharmacists will join with other healthcare professionals such as GPs to administer the COVID-19 vaccine for the community from Phase 2 of the Commonwealth’s COVID strategy.

 

The PSA is encouraging pharmacists to respond to the Government’s Expression of Interest (EOI) to be trained and equipped to assist in vaccinating Australians against the coronavirus.

 

Health Minister, Greg Hunt, said the Government was preparing “the necessary and compulsory training which will be required for each and every healthcare professional administering COVID-19 vaccines”.

 

PSA President, Associate Professor Chris Freeman, welcomed the Minister’s announcement, saying community pharmacists were a vital link in delivering the COVID vaccine program to Australians.

 

“COVID-19 has dramatically changed our lives and pharmacists have supported our community on the frontline – I am confident community pharmacists will step up to join Australia’s vaccination workforce, just as they have done throughout the coronavirus pandemic,” A/Prof Freeman said.

 

“Including pharmacists in the National rollout is in the public interest, to increase public access to vaccines quickly while increasing vaccination rates and pharmacists stand ready, willing, and able to deliver COVID vaccinations to the Australian community.

 

“At the core of every pharmacist is the innate desire to help the public and participating in the COVID-19 vaccine roll out is yet another way the profession is able to do just that.”

 

“PSA will be dedicated to supporting pharmacists to deliver the COVID-19 vaccine both safely and effectively to the public.”

 

Minister Hunt said they were working to ensure there was a suitable workforce “to administer the vaccines in an efficient manner, particularly to our priority groups including residential aged care, residential disability, and carers”, and pharmacists were a vital link in delivering the COVID vaccination program to Australians.

 

“Australia’s outstanding pharmacists have provided exceptional support for their patients during COVID-19 and will be an important partner in the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines,” Minister Hunt said.

 

“I’d like to acknowledge and thank the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia for their constructive engagement and contribution to the design of the Community Pharmacy COVID-19 Vaccination Program.

 

“Utilising the existing network of thousands of community pharmacies will ensure the general population has broader access to COVID-19 vaccinations, will provide choice in where the community receives a vaccine, and will address barriers to accessing some parts of rural and regional Australia.

 

“Participation in the program will be voluntary and pharmacies will need to demonstrate that they meet the highest safety standards and have capacity and capability to deliver COVID-19 vaccines, as well as ensuring they can continue to provide important services to their local communities.”

 

A/Prof Freeman said community pharmacists were a vital cog in the roll out to communities around Australia and PSA would work with its members and the Government to ensure a seamless program delivery for Australians.

 

The selected pharmacies will have supplies of the AstraZeneca vaccine, once approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration, and pharmacists will be provided with vaccine-specific training, access to the Federal Government’s national booking system, and funding for delivering vaccines.

 

The focus of the EOI is to identify community pharmacists that are willing and able to deliver the AstraZeneca COVID-9 vaccine to Phase 2 priority populations, which include:

 

• Adults aged 60-69 years;
• Adults aged 50-59 years;
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 18-54 years;
• Other critical and high risk workers;
• Balance of adult population;
• Catch up any unvaccinated Australians from previous phases.

 

 

The COVID‑19 vaccine will be administered in the community pharmacy setting by appropriately COVID‑19 vaccine trained, registered pharmacists, nurse practitioners, nurses and Aboriginal Health Workers under the supervision of an Approved Pharmacist.

 

To qualify for the Government’s Phase 2 vaccination program, community pharmacies need to:

 

• Undertake mandatory training designed and provided by the Commonwealth;
• Provide the vaccine to members of the Phase 2 priority population, initially, continuing on to further priority groups sequentially in accordance with Australia’s COVID-19 vaccine national rollout strategy;
• Utilise an appropriately qualified workforce in accordance with jurisdictional requirements to administer the vaccine, which may include nurse practitioners, nurses and Aboriginal Health Workers;
• Have the ability to scale-up vaccination workforce and site with potentially short lead times.
• Engage with the National Booking System which is being established to provide a single point of entry to people who require vaccination;
• Meet the requirements as a COVID-19 vaccination site;
• Provide clear and accessible information at the community pharmacy for patients before, during, and after vaccination;
• Enter all vaccinations into the Australian Immunisation Register within an appropriate timeframe; and
• Be responsible for all on-premises clinical governance.

 

UWA takes out PSOTY Wildcard 2021 at NAPSA Congress

Friday 29 January 2021; Ma Christel Joyce Manuel from University of Western Australia (UWA) has won the National Australian Pharmacy Students’ Association (NAPSA) Wildcard for the 2021 PSA Pharmacy Student of the Year (PSOTY) Award.

 

The PSOTY Wildcard final took place online as part of the NAPSA congress, with a talented field of students showcasing their clinical knowledge and implementing their counselling skills using real life pharmacy scenarios.

 

The PSOTY Wildcard final was fiercely contested amongst a group of talented students across Australia with the finalists being Samantha King (University of Queensland, QLD), Ma Christel Joyce Manuel (University of WA, WA) and Amirreza Zobdeh (Monash University, VIC)

 

Christel was judged the winner, displaying a high level of knowledge and ability.

 

“I am thrilled and honoured for this amazing opportunity. I want to congratulate the other students and look forward to the final at PSA21,” Christel said.

 

“This opportunity allows you to use your clinical and counselling skills to support patients in achieving better outcomes.”

 

PSA National President, Associate Professor Chris Freeman, congratulated Christel on her achievement and highlighted the strong field of students competing for the wildcard spot.

 

“It is heartening to see the future of our profession on show, demonstrating a high level of clinical knowledge and passion,” he said.

 

“This competition provides students the opportunity to learn important skills such as gaining patient insights and patient understanding, active listening and skills that support positive patient outcomes.

 

“I commend all participants and finalists at this year’s competition and the future of pharmacy looks very bright going forward.”

 

PSOTY Wildcard Judge and Chief Executive Officer of the PSA, Mr Mark Kinsela, congratulated all the finalists in what was a difficult decision for the judging panel. Mr Kinsela thanked the other judges who included early career pharmacist Bridgette Mackley and NAPSA President Mr Ethan Kreutzer.

 

“The judges had a really difficult decision, all the finalists did a fantastic job. We commend each finalist for the way they professionally communicated with the patient, took a good patient history, excluded serious medical conditions and then arrived at an appropriate clinical recommendation,” Mr Kinsela said.

 

“The future of pharmacy looks very bright with these exceptional health professionals just starting out in their careers.”

 

Christel as the PSOTY Wildcard winner, and supported by Viatris, will travel to the PSA21 National Conference held in Sydney from 30 July – 1 August 2021, to compete for the national title of Pharmacy Student of the Year 2021.

 

Media contact: PSA media 0487 922 176

2021/22 Budget Submission: Pharmacists integral to improve health outcomes of Australians

Friday 29 January 2021; The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) has called on the Federal Government to implement four strategic measures in its 2021-22 Budget Submission that will enable pharmacists to significantly improve health outcomes for Australians.

 

Among the recommendations is a proposal to revise aged care funding instruments and invest $197.8 million over four years to support residential aged care facilities directly engage pharmacists to reduce preventable harm caused by medicines.

 

PSA National President Associate Professor Chris Freeman said the recent Royal Commission Aged Care interim report was critical of medicine management in Australia’s aged care sector.

 

“The interim report highlighted widespread overprescribing, often without clear consent, of drugs which sedate residents, rendering them drowsy and unresponsive to visiting family and removing their ability to interact with people,” he said.

 

“Inappropriately sedating residents of aged care facilities is not care, it’s an abrogation of responsibility that must be addressed.

 

“We have seen the role of pharmacists embedded within aged care facilities well received by patients, family members, and healthcare professionals and we call on the Government to dedicate 0.5 full-time equivalent pharmacists per 100 aged care residents.”

 

Based on current residency, this would equate to 910 FTE pharmacists to support Australia’s 181,200 people living in residential aged care, identifying, preventing and managing medicine-related problems, reducing polypharmacy and improving medicines working with residents, family and their prescribers.

 

PSA recommends the 2021/22 Federal Budget makes provision to:

• Adopt the MBS Taskforce recommendation to rebate non-medical health professional participation at case conferences.
• Amend aged care funding instruments to engage pharmacists in Australia’s residential aged care facilities
• Establish a digital nationally coordinated pharmacovigilance system for primary care
• Fund pharmacists within Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services

 

A/Prof Freeman said these recommendations provide an opportunity for the government to take action to reduce medicine-related harm and utilise the skills of pharmacists to improve health outcomes for Australians.

 

“Pharmacists are approachable, knowledgeable and highly trusted within the community and the Australian public want to see the skills of pharmacists put to full use,” he said.

 

“Throughout the 2020 bushfire crises and COVID-19 pandemic, pharmacists have continued to provide essential services to patients and the Government needs to work with pharmacists to implement these recommendations to achieve positive health outcomes.

 

“While Australia rightly continues to focus on and lead the world in our COVID-19 response, it is important that we do not ignore the other health challenges and priorities that Australians face.”

 

Media contact: PSA media 0487 922 176

 

PSA Federal Budget Submission 2021-22

Pharmacists recognised in Australia Day Honours

Tuesday 26 January 2021

 

The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) congratulates pharmacists and educators in the pharmacy profession on their Australia Day Honours.

 

Several pharmacists and respected contributors to healthcare and pharmacy received awards, including:

• Professor William Charman – Office of Order of Australia (AO)
• Professor Peter Carroll – Order of Australia (AM)
• Colonel William Kelly (retired) – Order of Australia (AM)
• Mr Rodney Whyte – Medal of Order of Australia (OAM)
• Mrs Judith Ann Ingham – Medal of Order of Australia (OAM)

 

PSA National President, Associate Professor Chris Freeman, congratulated all recipients for their awards, saying it recognised their contributions to the Australian health sector, to pharmacy and to the broader community.

 

Colonel Kelly (Retd), ACT Branch Vice President, received his AM for his significant service to pharmacy through a range of roles.

 

“Bill’s award recognises a sustained and broad leadership career which includes Chairperson of the Pharmacy Board of Australia and the ACT, Colonel Consultant Pharmacist in the Australian Army, and Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Head, Professional Division at the PSA.”

 

Professor Carroll, a PSA Board member, received his award for his significant contribution to pharmaceutical education and community health.

 

“Professor Carrol has been largely responsible for the introduction of a number of very significant practice changes during his long and distinguished career. His work on expanding the role of community pharmacists in NSW in the administration of vaccines has without doubt had a very significant effect on patient welfare and overall community health.

 

“Peter has provided a significant contribution in the education of students studying Medicine, Nursing and Pharmacy as well as the continuing professional education of GPs, Nurses and Pharmacists,” A/Prof Freeman said.

 

Professor Charman received his AO for distinguished service to tertiary education, particularly to the pharmaceutical sciences, and to professional organisations.

 

“Prof Charman’s career is unparalleled at both a national and international level. His leadership in pharmacy education has actively shaped pharmacist practice across the globe while translating his significant research for the betterment of human health. Bill has represented pharmacists at the highest international level in his role on the Board and the Executive Council of the International Pharmaceutical Federation.”

 

PSA 2017 Victorian Pharmacist Medal winner, Mr Whyte OAM, received his award for service to pharmacy, to professional societies, and to the community.

 

Mrs Ingham received her OAM for service to the community and to pharmacy.

 

A/Prof Freeman paid tribute to the contribution of the award recipients.

 

“It is fitting to see the work of these respected professionals recognised with their Australia Day honours – a tribute to their ongoing work on their own behalf and those they work with and for,” A/Prof Freeman said.

 

“They have earned their awards for many years of dedication and commitment to pharmacy and Australian society – PSA congratulates them.”

PSA welcomes TGA approval of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine

25 January 2021

 

The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia today welcomed the Therapeutic Goods Administration approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to be rolled out as part of Australia’s COVID-19 vaccination program.

 

PSA President, Associate Professor Chris Freeman, said today’s TGA announcement was an historic step towards Australia’s national COVID-19 vaccination program. Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine will be administered at designated Pfizer Hubs across Australia.

 

A/Prof Freeman noted that while the Pfizer vaccine would not be administered in community pharmacies, pharmacist vaccinators may form a vital part of the vaccination workforce at these public health vaccination clinics.

 

“Pharmacists stand ready to administer COVID vaccines to the Australian community. Today’s approval of the Pfizer vaccine represents a significant step in Australia’s fight against COVID-19,” he said.

 

Community pharmacists are expected to administer other COVID-19 vaccines from Phase 2a when they become available.

 

“The government has indicated it will be approaching community pharmacies this week seeking to participate in this program, and PSA encourages pharmacists to take the opportunity to be at the frontline of this.

 

“Pharmacists are appropriately skilled and equipped to deliver these services as the roll out of Australia’s COVID-19 Vaccination Strategy continues, including providing significant workforce and infrastructure capacity once other vaccines, such as the AstraZeneca vaccine, becomes available,” A/Prof Freeman said

 

Active ingredient prescribing imminent

Tuesday 20 January 2021

 

From 1 February 2021 the majority of prescriptions for supply under the PBS and the RPBS must describe the medicine by active ingredient name to be eligible for subsidy.

 

Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) National President Associate Professor Chris Freeman said while current pharmacy workflows or processes largely won’t change, pharmacists should continue talking with consumers about their medicines active ingredient names where possible.

 

“Pharmacists have an important role to play when it comes to explaining to patients why their prescriptions may look different,” he said.

 

“When these changes come into effect it is critical that pharmacy staff are prepared to have the necessary conversations with patients and continue to provide information about the brand options available to them.

 

“It may take some time for patients to get use to describing their medicines by the active ingredient names however in the longer term it will improve medication safety by reducing potential confusion of multiple brands of the same active ingredient.”

 

Active ingredient prescribing will apply to PBS and RPBS prescriptions, except:

 

• Handwritten prescriptions;
• Paper based medication charts in the residential aged care sector;
• Medicinal items with four or more active ingredients; and
• Other items excluded for safety or practicality reasons.

 

Doctors can still include a brand name on a prescription if or if required for PBS authority and disallow brand substitution if a specific brand of medicine is required.

 

There will be a six month grace period where if a pharmacist receives a prescription that does not contain active ingredient names they will be required to contact the prescriber and ask them to reissue the prescription in accordance with the requirements.

 

If the prescriber is unable to issue a compliant prescription for any reason, then the pharmacy may supply and claim for the medicine as normal under the PBS without penalty. After the grace period, non-compliant prescriptions generated before 31^st July 2021 will still be able to be supplied and claimed until their expiration.

 

Active Ingredient Prescribing –FAQs – http://www-dev/active-ingredient-prescribing-faqs/

 

Media contact: PSA media 0487 922 176

NSW budget provides opportunity to improve health outcomes

14 January 2021

 

The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia has called on the New South Wales Government to action five key areas to improve access to medicines and health care for the NSW population in its 2021-22 Budget Submission.

 

The PSA recommends regulatory change to enable pharmacists to administer additional vaccines such as the COVID-19 vaccine and travel vaccines. In addition, funding of vaccines to eligible persons through the National Immunisation Program and state-funded programs should be made available through community pharmacies to increase access and herd immunity.

 

PSA NSW Branch President Chelsea Felkai said in the past 12 months, the NSW Government has facilitated greater access to vaccination by enabling pharmacists to vaccinate children aged 10 years and over for influenza and allowing pharmacist administered vaccination outside a community pharmacy.

 

“Australian pharmacists have been administering vaccines safely and effectively since 2014 and across all States and Territories since 2016,” she said.

 

“Community pharmacists provide an accessible and safe location for the delivery of vaccination services and by improving vaccination rates, pharmacies can help ease pressure on general practice and hospital emergency departments.

 

“PSA recommends using pharmacist immunisers for large scale rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine in NSW and ensuring the COVID-19 vaccine and service is funded when administered by any trained immuniser, including pharmacists.

 

“If the goal is to vaccinate as many people as possible, safely and as soon as possible, then pharmacist immunisers must be involved in the administration of the COVID-19 vaccine.”

 

The PSA has also called on the New South Wales Government to allocate $7.5 million to facilitate and fund re-direction of non-urgent emergency presentations to community pharmacists.

 

In 2018-2019, there were 8.4 million presentations to Australian public hospital emergency departments. Of these, 2,976,532 emergency department presentations were in NSW, with 335,836 (11%) of these being considered as non-urgent.

 

Ms Felkai said patients seeking care from the emergency department for conditions such as headaches, coughs and colds, earaches and other non-urgent conditions could instead visit their community pharmacy.

 

“There is strong evidence that the clinical advice provided by community pharmacists regarding symptoms of minor illness results in the same health outcomes as if the patient went to see their GP or attended the emergency department,” she said.

 

“Pharmacists can manage non-urgent conditions or low urgency conditions, provide the right level of care and mitigate funding and system inefficiencies as patients access professional support for conditions that can be self-managed or require referral.”

 

Other recommendations in the submission include support and funding of pharmacists to enable enhanced harm minimisation activities such as the administration of the buprenorphine injection for opioid agonist treatment in NSW. Improvements in opioid agonist treatment have broader health implications such as reducing the prevalence of infectious conditions in the wider community.

 

Further to this, additional funding is being sought to enable pharmacists to support positive health outcomes and patient self-care for Hepatitis C, in line with national and global elimination targets by 2030.

 

Additional funding to embed pharmacists in state funded aged care facilities to support medicine safety are in line with the PSA’s medicine safety report.

 

Ms Felkai said medicines are the most common intervention in health care and alarmingly, problems with the use of medicines is also common, 250,000 hospital admissions a year across Australia with an annual cost of $1.4 billion.

 

To view the 2021-22 NSW Budget Submission click here: http://www-dev/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Budget-Submission-2021-22-NSW-Final.pdf

 

Media contact: PSA media 0487 922 176

Pharmacists to play key role in COVID-19 vaccine rollout

Wednesday 13 January 2021

 

The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) welcomes comments made by Health Minister Greg Hunt that pharmacists will be involved with the delivery of COVID-19 vaccines, where they can met the requirements set by Government.

 

PSA National President Associate Professor Chris Freeman said PSA has been meeting with the Department of Health regarding multi dose vial administration and how to support clinicians with safe delivery of all approved vaccines.

 

“Pharmacists have a vital role to play when it comes to the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines ensuring there is enough capacity in the system to allow the public to be vaccinated as quickly as possible.” he said.

 

“PSA has for some time urged all state and territory governments to amend legislation that will allow pharmacists to administer a COVID-19 vaccine and while some jurisdictions have made these necessary changes, others have been slow to act.”

 

“So, we call on state and territory governments where required to urgently change legislation in such a way that will also allow pharmacists to vaccinate in any setting to ensure there is wide and comprehensive uptake of the vaccine.

 

“A proactive approach to legislation amendments means that the entire available health care workforce, including pharmacists, will be able to undertake a large-scale vaccination program.

 

“Pharmacists are more than capable, qualified and willing to provide this service to ensure the large scale rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine.”

 

In announcing the COVID-19 vaccine rollout plan, Minister Hunt pointed to the current network in place which achieved 17 million vaccinations last year, many administered by pharmacists.

 

It is expected the rollout of the vaccine will commence in mid-to-late February, broken down into five key phases.

 

Front line health workers including pharmacists will be part of phase 1 which will see over 6 million Australians vaccinated.

 

 

Media contact: PSA media 0487 922 176