PSA congratulates returned Palaszczuk Government

Monday 2 November 2020

 

The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) congratulates the re-elected Palaszczuk Government and look forward to working together to improve the health of Queenslanders through supporting the vital role of pharmacists in the Queensland (QLD) healthcare system.

 

In congratulating the returning government, PSA QLD Branch President Shane MacDonald thanked the labor party on their commitments to PSA and the broader pharmacy profession prior to the election.

 

“Leading up to the election the Labor party committed to work with PSA to design and implement a trial of pharmacists practicing to their full scope in North Queensland,” he said.

 

“PSA has long advocated that current regulatory barriers prevent pharmacists from providing the full range of care that is within their professional scope of practice, skills and training.

 

“The Labor party also agreed to support PSA to develop an evidence based model for embedding pharmacists in transitions of care across all Queensland Hospital and Health Services.

 

“Employing transition-of care pharmacists to work with a patient’s care team through outpatient consultations or providing outreach services can reduce medicine harm significantly reducing the burden and cost of care on Queensland’s hospitals.”

 

The returning labor party acknowledged the essential role that pharmacists have played in maintaining the health and wellbeing of Queenslanders, particularly throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Mr MacDonald said PSA would work closely with the Labor Government and also advocate to allow pharmacists to administer more routine medicines, such as injectable buprenorphine, insulin or Vitamin B12, to improve Queensland Patients’ management of complex health conditions.

 

“While the Queensland Government has increased access to immunisations, pharmacists are skilled in administering simple injections and amending some regulations will remove the barrier artificially preventing pharmacists from providing safe, convenient and timely health care to Queenslanders at no cost to the government,” he said.

 

“Although we applaud the role the Chief Allied Health Officer and the public health units during the COVID-19 pandemic, we will also reiterate the need to appoint a Chief Pharmacist to provide strategic leadership in improving medicine safety for Queensland and drive coordination and rapid implementation of public health measures during emergencies.”

 

“PSA thank the Palaszczuk Government for these commitments and we look forward to working closely with them over the next four years.”

 

Media contact: PSA media 0487 922 176