Report reveals 72,500 rural and remote Australians admitted to hospital each year due to medicine-related problems

Saturday, 13 March 2021: A new report has revealed 1.3 million rural and remote Australians do not take their medicines at all or as intended adding an estimated $2.03 billion to our annual health care costs.

 

The Medicine Safety: Rural and remote care report, developed for the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia by Charles Sturt University, also found that 72,500 rural and remote Australians are admitted to hospital each year due to problems with their medicines, costing the health care system $400 million.

 

The report was launched by NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard in Sydney today.

 

PSA National President Associate Professor Chris Freeman said the report’s findings showed significant health discrepancies for those living in rural and remote Australia compared to those residing in metropolitan areas.

 

“The seven million Australians living in rural and remote Australians deserve better,” A/Prof Freeman said.

 

The report found:

 

• the rate of unintentional drug-induced deaths is higher than in capital cities

 

• there is an increased disease burden and potentially preventable hospitalisations is up to 2.4 times more than that of non-rural Australians

 

• the rates of medicines supplied for mental health conditions are lower in remote and very remote areas despite the higher incidence of mental health issues in these areas

 

• the rate of preventable hospitalisations for Indigenous Australians is three times higher than that of non-Indigenous Australians and

 

• 53 per cent of the Indigenous Australians participants in a regional Australian study were affected by suboptimal prescribing, polypharmacy and inappropriate or under-prescribing.

 

A/Prof Freeman said the report revealed the challenges in accessing health care including limited access to much-needed medicines.

 

“This is in part due to the tyranny of distance, inflexible regulations and health workforce shortages,” he said.

 

Medicine safety: rural and remote care also highlights that available data, specifically focused on the needs of rural and remote Australians is sparse and insights into the area must be improved.

 

“One of the most concerning findings is the lack of data and these numbers are conservative and a gross underestimation,” A/Prof Freeman said.

 

“We need to be far better at recording these medicine-related problems when they occur so we can provide better care and better solutions.”

 

The report recommends a series of actions to help address medicine-related harm in rural and remote Australia.

 

The recommendations include establishing accredited rural generalist pharmacists who would work with GPs and other health professionals to collaboratively prescribe, order pathology tests and do more to support people’s chronic disease.

 

It also calls on governments to fund pharmacists to work in Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations and fund case conferencing for pharmacists as part of the health care team in rural and remote areas.

 

“Pharmacists in rural and remote areas are often the main available health care provider and we need to allow them to be able to use their expertise to support the patients,” A/Prof Freeman said.

 

“It should not matter where you live – all Australians are worthy of the best health care the country can provide. We must address rural and remote challenges of medicine safety as a matter of urgency.”

 

The report can be found at https://www.psa.org.au/advocacy/working-for-our-profession/medicine-safety/medicine-safety-rural-and-remote-care/

 

 

Media contact: PSA media 0487 922 176

Pharmacists Call for Stability

Wednesday 10 March 2021

Western Australia’s community pharmacists have called on political parties to ensure the ongoing role of pharmacy in meeting the vital health needs of the State’s communities around medicine security, vaccinations and mental health issues.

 

In the run up to this Saturday’s WA election, PSA’s State President, Dr Fei Sim, has called on the Labor Party, Liberal Party, Nationals and Greens, to outline their position on a number of key community health issues.

 

Dr Sim asked the parties to advise their position on the following issues:
* Improved access to vaccinations to protect Western Australians against vaccine-preventable infectious diseases, including hepatitis, polio, pneumococcal and COVID-19.
* Ensuring timely access to medicines through continued dispensing.
* Fund Mental Health First Aid training for community pharmacists to connect vulnerable patients with care when they urgently need it.
* Allowing pharmacists to administer prescribed medicines to improve Western Australian patients’ management of complex health conditions.

 

“As the peak body representing the 3,423 Western Australian pharmacists, the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia is asking you to commit to improving the health and wellness of all Western Australians through these pharmacist-related initiatives,” Dr Sim said.

 

WA Premier, Mark McGowan, said his Government recognises pharmacists as key stakeholders in the development of health policy and important providers of primary health care.

 

Mr McGowan said Labor will continue to work with pharmacists to expand the community pharmacy immunisation program, ensure that pharmacists are involved in the current review of WA’s medicine supply chain, and work with pharmacists advocating to the Commonwealth to retain the temporary medicines dispensing changes introduced through the COVID-19 pandemic period.

 

Nationals’ leader, Mia Davies, offered “in-principle” support to the initiatives the PSA had proposed, particularly as her party was the only one with a sole focus on regional issues and constituents.

 

Ms Davies advised of a number of proposed health-related policy funding initiatives for regional mental health services ($140m), regional men’s health initiative ($4m), women’s wellness and health services ($15m) and $40 million for country paramedics, sub-centres and volunteers.

 

Greens’ health spokesperson, Alison Xamon, responded to the specific requests, saying the Greens’ will support legislation and actions to increase funding for immunisation programs, and push for a review of the COVID-19 response to inform ongoing regulation and future planning for medicines dispensing.

“We support the provision of mental health workplace interventions including mental health first aid training and the allocation of specific funding for this purpose,” Ms Xamon said.

 

The Greens also said the hospital system needed to move from “a reactive, acute hospital-based system to one with a strong focus on prevention, equity, early child health and end-of-life care” in the community.

 

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Media contact: PSA media 0487 922 176

Every older Australian to be protected by a pharmacist: now is the time for action

Monday 1 March 2021; Now is the time for the Australian Government to act on the recommendations from the Royal Commission in Aged Care to protect all residents from the harms of inappropriate medicine use – including chemical restraint.

 

Recommendations to protect aged care residents by ensuring they have access to embedded pharmacists and timely, regular medication management reviews must be among the first priorities to be actioned.

 

PSA National President, Associate Professor Chris Freeman, said the recommendations demonstrated how urgently the medicine safety problems in aged care need to be addressed.

 

“Inappropriate chemical restraint, and polypharmacy leading to sedation, falls and avoidable hospitalisations are some of the biggest problems in aged care. Pharmacists are the key to solving these problems.

 

PSA is pleased the majority of recommendations in its submission have been endorsed by the Royal Commission, particularly in regards to embedding pharmacists in aged care facilities, working in multidisciplinary teams, and strengthening clinical governance.

 

PSA is particularly supportive of the following recommendations which must be implemented immediately:

 

• Recommendation 38: Residential aged care providers to employ or retain allied health professionals, including pharmacists
• Recommendation 58: Access and funding to specialists and other health practitioners, including pharmacists, through Multidisciplinary Outreach Services
• Recommendation 64: Increased access and funding for pharmacists to conduct medication management reviews for every resident on entry to a facility, and annually thereafter, including respite care and transition care, by 1 January 2022
• Recommendation 65: Restricting initiation of antipsychotic prescriptions in residential aged care to psychiatrists and geriatricians, by 1 November 2021
• Recommendation 67: Improving data on the interaction between the health and aged care systems through implementation of unique identifiers for aged care facilities, by 1 July 2022

 

“The recommendations in the final report challenge all of us to comprehensively rethink the way we support and protect older Australians,” said Associate Professor Freeman.

 

“Putting in place quality-indicators, improving clinical governance, increasing accountability, providing better staff training and ongoing professional development are all measures required if generational change to our aged care system is to be achieved.

 

“All of Australia’s 34,000 pharmacists have a critical role in improving medicine-related harm and providing a better aged care system and support for older Australians.

 

“After 18 inquiries over 24 years, now is the time for action to improve the care for the Australians who need it the most.”

 

Media contact: PSA media 0487 922 176

PharMIbridge RCT training for pharmacists in Northern Sydney

24 February 2021: Training for pharmacists in Northern Sydney involved in the Bridging the Gap between Physical and Mental Illness in Community Pharmacy (PharMIbridge) Randomised Control Trial (RCT) will be held in Northern Sydney on 24-25 February 2021.

 

The PharMIbridge RCT is a collaboration between the Pharmacy Guild of Australia, the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia, Griffith University and the University of Sydney, aimed at enhancing the way community pharmacists support people living with severe and persistent mental illness (SPMI). The RCT is funded by the Australian Government Department of Health as part of the Sixth Community Pharmacy Agreement.

 

Professor Amanda Wheeler from Griffith University, who is leading the trial said that “People living with a mental illness are particularly vulnerable to isolation and the current pandemic has meant that many have struggled not only with their mental wellbeing but also managing their physical health. Regular check-ups and timely follow-up on new symptoms or issues with doctors, dentists and other allied health professionals has been hard with lockdowns and the loss of face-to-face interactions. PharMIbridge RCT offers an important opportunity for pharmacists to check-in with people living in the community with severe and persistent mental illness, with time to talk about their medication and health issues and support them to access the help they need.”

 

The PharMIbridge RCT, involving up to 8 community pharmacies in Northern Sydney, will test the effectiveness of a person-centred, goal-oriented, and flexible pharmacist-led support service for consumers living with SPMI, compared to a standard in-pharmacy medication review service (MedsCheck).

 

The PharMIbridge intervention involves an in-depth medicine support service delivered over six-months and aims to identify and address problems relating to psychotropic medication use or physical and psychological health concerns, with an emphasis on quality of life, physical health and psychological wellbeing.

 

A MedsCheck involves a pharmacist reviewing a consumer’s medication to improve medication use and address any medication-related questions, with a report sent to and/or discussed with the consumer’s GP.

 

The National President of the Guild, George Tambassis, said the Guild’s commitment to PharMIbridge reflected the importance of researching the impact of an increasing role of community pharmacists in mental health.

 

“This trial is an important initiative in determining the impact of a pharmacist’s intervention in helping people living with mental illness,” he said. “Pharmacists can be one of the first health professionals a mental health consumer will turn to for help.”

 

The trial is assessing the impacts of a pharmacist’s intervention and changes in consumer medication adherence and health outcomes, including quality of life, physical health, and mental wellbeing. It is also assessing the confidence and knowledge of community pharmacists to support consumers through the trial service.

Pharmaceutical Society of Australia National President, Associate Professor Chris Freeman, said as medicines experts, pharmacists play a vital role in the management of mental illness in the community.

 

“Pharmacists have an important role to play in supporting people who have a mental illness and are often in the frontline as a care provider, providing advice and assistance to people who may be suffering through these difficult times” A/Prof Freeman said.

 

The training workshop is followed by support from the Research Team over the nine months of trial implementation.

 

For more details, email pharmibridge@griffith.edu.au or visit griffith.edu.au/pharmibridge or call (07) 3735 8038.

 

Media release: PharMIbridge RCT training for pharmacists in Northern Sydney

Supporting those who support pharmacists

The Pharmacists’ Support Service (PSS) and the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) have entered into a new three-year Memorandum of Understanding, continuing PSA’s long term support for PSS and its work supporting pharmacists across the community.

 

The PSS provides a telephone support service, working on the principle of pharmacists supporting pharmacists, by providing a listening ear over the telephone to pharmacists, pharmacy interns and students. The PSS also receives queries and calls from family, friends, colleagues and pharmacy staff who are concerned about a pharmacist.

 

PSA President, Associate Professor Chris Freeman, said the support service was an invaluable tool to assist community pharmacists around Australia, their patients, family and the broader community interests.

 

“PSA is happy to support the valuable work of this service, particularly as it sees pharmacists working together to address issues and concerns within the sector in the community interest,” A/Prof Freeman said.

 

The volunteers who take the calls are all pharmacists and are trained in the crisis model of telephone counselling to support their colleagues.

 

Pharmacists are often a first point of call for people with medical and medicinal issues, and the PSS provides an opportunity for all pharmacists to discuss stressful events and issues of concern with an independent colleague in a confidential manner.

 

The focus of the PSS is support, empowerment and information provision. It aims to benefit the public by ensuring that pharmacists maintain their health and well-being and provide an appropriate level of service to the Australian community.

 

Issues raised include stress, crime related trauma, workplace and workload concerns, employment matters, substance abuse, mental health, suicide, ill-health, professional and financial pressures, practice matters and ethical issues.

 

PSS President, John Coppock, said the MoU and sponsorship will allow the PSS to continue in its important support and advisory role.

 

“We welcome the PSA’s ongoing support – without continued support like this it would be difficult to maintain and operate this service for the sector and the community,” Mr Coppock said.

 

Media contact: PSA media 0487 922 176

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 -https://www.psa.org.au/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