Open consultation of the draft Guideline for pharmacists supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples with medicines management

After an extensive development and review process, The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia invites pharmacists to provide feedback on the draft Guideline for pharmacists supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples with medicines management.

This project is an update to the previous guideline, Guide to providing pharmacy services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The updated guideline is designed to apply to pharmacists working in all practice settings and feedback is particularly invited from pharmacists who may not actively work in this space.

 To provide your feedback

1. Review the document
2. Use the following survey to provide commentary

The consultation will close at 5pm AEST on Friday 10 June.

It is widely acknowledged that culturally appropriate and holistic health delivery systems improve health outcomes.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities are diverse. This diversity includes distinct language, kinship and cultural traditions, religious beliefs, family responsibilities and personal histories and experiences. Importantly, this diversity also extends to the health needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and community.¹

Evidence shows that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are more likely to access health services where service providers communicate respectfully, build good relationships, have an awareness of the underlying social issues, as well as some understanding of culture, and where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are part of the health care team.²

Given the cultural sensitivities surrounding death for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, it is important that cultural beliefs and practices are acknowledged and accommodated during the palliative and end-of-life care journey.

When Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are diagnosed with a life-limiting illness, or are approaching the end of their life, they should be able to access quality palliative and supportive care that is consistent with their wishes. By engaging in culturally appropriate, safe and sensitive palliative care communication with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander members of your community, you can provide support in a way that meets the needs of each individual.

Cultural safety is everyone’s business!

A range of materials exists to assist you in your lifelong cultural learning, including education opportunities, resources and reports.

References

1. National Cultural Respect Framework for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health 2016-2026
2. Australian Government, Department of Health 2014, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Curriculum Framework, Canberra: Commonwealth of Australia

Below are some social media tile for you to download and use. There is some sample text below you may wish to use on social media. You can include the website link https://www.psa.org.au/remuneration and don’t forget to tag PSA National and your local politician.

You can get involved by sharing these tiles on your social media (below) and either using your own text or the sample text supplied below.

Below is some sample text you may wish to use on social media. You can include the website link https://www.psa.org.au/remuneration and don’t forget to tag PSA National and your local politician.

Working Conditions and Remuneration

1. Pharmacists must be recognised as frontline health professionals, and deserve to be remunerated accordingly.
2. Pharmacists, like many healthcare workers, have had no reprieve throughout the pandemic. We’ve stayed open when many primary healthcare providers closed their doors. Yet, unfair and inequitable pay discrepancies continue to exist. This needs to be corrected.
3. It’s simple, pharmacists must be paid at the same rate as any other professional for providing the same service!

Case Conferencing

1. Pharmacists are the only allied health provider who is not remunerated for case conferencing – this is ludicrous when you consider the essential role we play as medicine safety experts.
2. The government must address medicine safety concerns and the unfair and inequitable pay disparity faced by pharmacists, by introducing an MBS rebate for pharmacists who participate in case conferencing.
3. Pharmacists are medicine experts and custodians of medicine safety, yet we are expected to participate in case conferencing without being paid for doing so.

COVID Vaccines

1. The pandemic has pushed many in the profession to the brink – RAT shortages, long hours, staff shortages, abuse from patients, the risk of bring the disease home to family. At the very least, we deserve equal remuneration for administering COVID-19 vaccines.
2. Many friends and colleagues have gone above and beyond, extending hours to open up more COVID-19 vaccination appointments. It’s not fair that we’re being paid less than half that of other vaccinators.
3. Pharmacists have now delivered over 6 million COVID-19 vaccines – going above and beyond to help protect our communities. By paying other providers more, the government has short-changed us by more than $156 million. How is that fair?
4. The Federal Government’s refusal to fairly remunerate pharmacists for administering COVID-19 booster vaccines is putting the entire booster program in jeopardy. The service is barely sustainable for us on the frontline!

PSA Face-to-face events policy

The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) is committed to taking a proactive approach in managing and providing a safe and healthy environment for all members and visitors, so far as reasonably practicable. PSA will ensure that a Covid-19 safe plan is in place for all events and attendees made aware of the PSA Events policy for the attendance all face-to-face events.

The following policy will apply to all face to face PSA training and events:

• All attendees will be asked to refer to the latest advice from the Australian federal, state and /or territory governments on travel and restrictions, including public health orders. You can check restrictions in all states and territories using the COVID-19 Restriction Checker.

• Attendees of PSA face-to-face events must be fully vaccinated. We request that proof of vaccination is provided prior to attending any face to face event/s, unless an exemption is requested.

• QR check-in is mandatory at all PSA face- to-face training and events.

• Additional measures such as face coverings, alternate seating and catering arrangements may be required to meet Covid-19 safe protocols. 

• Anyone who has possible symptoms of Covid-19 (refer to Covid-19 Symptom Checker https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/symptom-checker/tool/basic-details ) must not attend any face-to-face training or events. They must get tested and follow the self-isolation advice within their state or territory.

• Anyone who is unable to attend a face-to-face event or training as a result of Covid-19 must notify PSA on events@psa.org.au to determine an alternative date for attendance without penalty.

• If there are any circumstances where an attendee is unable to comply with the vaccination requirements, including a medical condition, PSA requests that an exemption form be sent to events@psa.org.au at least 14 days prior to the event. PSA will assess the exemption and consider reasonable alternatives. PSA will comply with all the applicable statutes and regulations that protect the privacy of person/s and will make every effort to ensure procedurally sufficient safeguards are in place to maintain personal confidence.