PSA ready to work with WA Government to expand the role of pharmacists

 

Wednesday 10 July 2019

 

The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) is ready to work with the Western Australian Government to increase the scope of pharmacists.

 

A recently-released Western Australian Health Department review of community pharmacy ownership includes recommendations to significantly increase the range of clinical services offered by pharmacists.

 

PSA WA Branch President Dr Fei Sim said this was a great step forward in acknowledging the vital role pharmacists play in Australia’s healthcare system, and their ability to do more to improve health outcomes.

 

“Community pharmacies are a valued and integral part of our communities’ health care,” she said.

 

“They can be found in most cities, towns and suburbs around Western Australia. Their location and accessibility, combined with the expertise and skills of pharmacists, makes them ideally suited to play a greater role in primary healthcare delivery.”

 

PSA’s two key reports Medicine Safety: Take Care and Pharmacists in 2023 advocate for empowering pharmacists to do more than the current healthcare system allows by harnessing their skills and expertise as medicine experts.

 

The Medicine Safety report revealed the enormity of medicine-related harm and its cost to our economy. The report found there were 250,000 hospital submissions annually as a result of medicine-related problems with an additional 400,000 presentations to emergency departments due to medicine misuse costing $1.4 billion annually.

 

“The evidence is clear, pharmacists have significant potential to reduce the number of medicine-related hospital admissions and adverse medicine events in Australia but are prevented from doing so due to barriers in fulfilling our scope of practice,” Dr Sim said.

 

“In its recommendations, the WA Government has taken the lead in recognising the potential of pharmacists and the need to expand their scope of practice.

 

“PSA and the pharmacy profession look forward to working with the WA Government on implementing these recommendations to allow pharmacists to improve healthcare access and outcomes, and reduce variabilities in care.”

 

Media contact:
Carly Lusk
Public Affairs Officer
0487 922 176