Pharmacist-administered vaccination age lowered in Queensland

Friday 5 April 2019

Pharmacists will be able to protect more Queenslanders against vaccine-preventable diseases, the Queensland Government announced today in a move welcomed by the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA).

Pharmacists will be able to vaccinate more people following the Queensland Government’s announcement to lower the minimum age of pharmacist-administered vaccinations to 16 years.

PSA Queensland Acting President Mr Chris Campbell congratulated the Government for allowing pharmacists to vaccinate more Queenslanders.

“Allowing trained pharmacists to administer vaccines will significantly increase the immunisation rates within the community and reduce the incidence of vaccine-preventable diseases.

“The administration of vaccines by pharmacists complements the excellent work done by GPs, nurses, Indigenous Health Workers and other immunisers. It increases the immunisation rate and has a positive effect on people’s health in Queensland.

“As the peak national body for pharmacists, PSA has advocated for many years to allow pharmacists to deliver more vaccinations to a wider age range of patients and for provision of pharmacist access to NIP stock. We will continue to work closely with the Queensland Government to achieve this.”

Pharmacists in Queensland have been instrumental in progressing pharmacist-administered vaccination services in Australia through the Queensland Pharmacists Immunisation Pilot (QPIP) in 2014.

Mr Campbell commended the Queensland Government for making use of pharmacists’ expertise and training to better protect the community against vaccine-preventable diseases.

Media contact:
Jarryd Luke
Senior Communications Officer
0487 922 176

Budget’s health funding welcome but more is needed for pharmacy

Tuesday 2 April 2019

The government’s commitment to pharmacy in tonight’s 2019-20 Federal Budget through the extension of the AHI fee and reduced Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) wait times is welcomed by the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA).

PSA National President Dr Chris Freeman said PSA acknowledged the investment in primary care, aged care and mental health, and the importance of funding for those sectors.

“Leading into the next Community Pharmacy Agreement, we would expect at least the same level of investment in community pharmacy and pharmacists to improve accessibility of care and health outcomes for all Australians,” Dr Freeman said.

“In a budget that has now returned to surplus and is projected to be in surplus we need to have investment in pharmacy and pharmacists across sectors to improve the health of Australians.

“We note the budget announcement to align community pharmacy and private or public hospital pricing arrangements for high cost medicines but we remain concerned about the level of hospital pharmacy services that may be affected by this announcement and the impact this may have on medicine safety and patient care.

“PSA welcomes the government’s announcement of an additional $15 million for pharmacy programs through the sixth Community Pharmacy Agreement to promote quality use of medicines, including further supporting the Dose Administration Aids and MedsCheck programs.

“We are delighted the government will build on its efforts to reduce prescription opioid use. We welcome the expansion of the Rural Health Outreach Fund to give people better access to pain management specialist services and train providers to improve prescribing habits.

“The announcement of $7.2 million to establish an Australia-first take-home naloxone program is a significant investment in reducing deaths caused by opioids. It is vital for pharmacy to be a key component of this strategy.”

Dr Freeman said the establishment of a new unit of clinical pharmacists within the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission that will work directly with residential aged care providers to educate them around best practice use of medicines will improve medicine safety across the country.

“We also welcome the government’s announcement of support for a Canberra trial to embed a part-time pharmacist in all 27 residential care facilities,” Dr Freeman said.

“Pharmacists have unique skills in medicines management and are the best placed professionals to ensure better use of medicines, focusing on regulation, education and intervention.

“The Budget begins to address PSA’s call in its pre-budget submission for $17 million of seed funding to embed pharmacists in aged care facilities.

“PSA has shown in our Medicine Safety report that medicine safety is a major problem in aged care, where 98% of residents are taking a potentially inappropriate medicine.

“Pharmacists embedded in aged care facilities can protect residents from the harm caused by overuse and misuse of medicines.

“We need a national commitment to ensure pharmacists are used to their full potential to lead a culture of medicine safety in aged care.

“The government’s announcement of funding for the continued operation of the My Health Record system is also a welcome investment that will allow people to access and control their medical history and treatments, including vaccinations.

“Nine out of 10 Australians already have a My Health Record and pharmacists are playing an important role in ensuring My Health Record delivers the efficiencies and effectiveness in healthcare that it has promised.”

Media contact:
Jarryd Luke
Senior Communications Officer
0487 922 176

National commitment needed to embed pharmacists in residential aged care

Friday 29 March 2019

Today’s announcement by the federal government to invest $3.7 million to embed pharmacists in aged care facilities across the ACT will improve medication management and is welcomed by the peak national body for pharmacists, the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA). However, a national commitment is urgently needed to embed pharmacists in residential aged care facilities across the country.

The announcement goes part way to implementing PSA’s pre-budget submission call for $17 million seed funding for a 12-month program to integrate pharmacists in aged care facilities. The program would be designed to ensure appropriate evidence of the economic and clinical benefits was captured and evaluated, while being adaptable to specific aged care facilities.

In welcoming the announcement, PSA National President Dr Chris Freeman noted PSA’s Medicine Safety: Take Care report, released in January 2019, showed medicine safety in aged care is a major problem in Australia.

“PSA’s Medicine Safety report reveals 98% of residents in aged care facilities have at least one medication-related problem and at least half of residents are exposed to at least one inappropriate medicine,” Dr Freeman said.

“Embedding pharmacists in residential aged care facilities improves quality use of medicines and enables greater communication and collaboration between members of the multidisciplinary team. This has already been demonstrated in the ACT in the partnership between the University of Canberra and Goodwin Aged Care Services.

“PSA envisages that aged care facilities would have the ability engage a pharmacist from a community pharmacy or externally, based on the specific needs of the facility and skill set of the pharmacist. The role of the pharmacist would be targeted towards medication safety and clinical governance activities building and leading a quality use of medicine culture for aged care.

“Pharmacists in aged care facilities are needed to identify, prevent and manage medication-related problems as well as support health professionals and facility staff in the quality use of medicines. For example, pharmacists in aged care have been shown to safely reduce the use of high-risk medicines such as antipsychotics, benzodiazepines and opioids.

“We welcome this announcement to support aged care residents in the ACT benefit from the knowledge and skills of pharmacists in improving safety with their medicines. We encourage the government to work towards further roll-out of embedding pharmacists in aged care nationwide, particularly as the benefits of this specific ACT funding become apparent.”

Media contact:
Jarryd Luke
Senior Communications Officer
0487 922 176

ACT pharmacists to lead the way in reducing incorrect, inappropriate or overuse of medicines

Friday 29 March 2019

The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) encourages pharmacists and doctors to adopt DORA, the online clinical tool launched today by the ACT Government to help to reduce the harm that can be caused by people misusing pharmaceuticals.

DORA is an extension of the Drugs and Poisons Information System (DAPIS), which is the regulatory business system used by ACT Health to monitor prescribing and supply of controlled medicines.

In welcoming today’s announcement, PSA ACT Branch President Renae Beardmore outlined how DORA will assist doctors and pharmacists to make safer clinical decisions, particularly regarding controlled medicines.

“Every year, 250,000 Australians are admitted to hospital as a result of medicine-related problems, according to PSA’s Medicine Safety: Take Care report.

“This new clinical tool along with real time prescription reporting will support both doctors and pharmacists in addressing patient safety and the misuse of medicines such as opioids and stimulants through monitoring incorrect, inappropriate or overuse of these medicines.

“The ACT is leading the way in adopting a patient-focussed prescription monitoring system that will reduce medicine-related problems, address the issue of prescription medicine addiction and lead to better health outcomes for patients.”

Media contact:
Jarryd Luke
Senior Communications Officer
0487 922 176

SafeScript launched to save lives in Victoria

Monday 1 April 2019

The rollout of the SafeScript real-time prescription monitoring program in Victoria is a major step forward for medicine safety, according to the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA).

SafeScript rolls out statewide today and was launched by the Victorian Minister for Health the Hon Jenny Mikakos at previous PSA National President Joe Demarte’s Amcal Pharmacy in Carlton on Sunday.

PSA Victorian President Benjamin Marchant said PSA thanked the government for its commitment to protecting the public from medicine misuse with the SafeScript program.

“The Department of Health and Human Services has already made excellent progress with the introduction of SafeScript in the Western Victoria Primary Health Network and other areas since last October,” Mr Marchant said.

“Pharmacists and prescribers play a vital role in using SafeScript to improve patient safety by reviewing their patients’ prescription history for high-risk medicines.

“One of the key actions in PSA’s Pharmacists in 2023 report is to embrace digital transformation to improve the quality use of medicines; support the delivery of safe, effective, and efficient healthcare; and facilitate collaborative models of care.

“Technological improvement in pharmacist care through systems such as SafeScript allows us to make full use of pharmacists’ skills and improve the health of all Australians.

“Ultimately, SafeScript saves lives by empowering pharmacists and other healthcare professionals to work together to protect the community from risk of overdose.”

Media contact:
Jarryd Luke
Senior Communications Officer
0487 922 176

PSA welcomes re-election of New South Wales Government

Sunday 24 March 2019

The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA), in congratulating the return of the Berejiklian Government, asks them to commit to improving the health of the NSW community through supporting the vital role of pharmacists in the NSW healthcare system.

PSA NSW President Professor Peter Carroll said pharmacists’ unique expertise in the safe and effective use of medicines meant their role should be expanded to deliver care wherever medicines were used.

“The entire pharmacy workforce should be invested in to deliver safer, more effective and accessible care across NSW,” Prof Carroll said.

“PSA welcomes the re-election of the Liberal Party and congratulates them on the effective health policies they have already implemented in relation to vaccinations.

“PSA recently released our Pharmacists in 2023 report to highlight that pharmacists must be empowered to do more than the current healthcare system allows them to do.

“This is about the health of the public in NSW. We simply must be able to use more effectively the workforce that we have in pharmacists, across hospitals, in community pharmacy and in other areas.

“Giving consumers in NSW access to the influenza vaccine in community pharmacies has been a huge success.

“Pharmacist-administered flu vaccination has led to greater uptake amongst the community, increasing NSW’s overall herd immunity for these preventable diseases.”

A 2018 nationwide YouGov Galaxy poll showed that two-in-three Australians believe pharmacists should be able to administer common vaccines with greater convenience cited as a benefit.

“Pharmacists in NSW have also been protecting people 16 years and over from whooping cough and measles since January,” Prof Carroll said.

“PSA urges the Government to take full advantage of the pharmacist workforce by expanding pharmacist-administered vaccinations to make it easier for people to access adult pneumococcal and other vaccines.”

PSA also believes there are opportunities to provide the community with better access to specific prescription medicines for acute conditions by utilising the skills and expertise of trained pharmacists.

“Pharmacists can ease the burden on the health system and now is the time to commit to new reforms that allow them to provide better health outcomes for NSW,” Prof Carroll said.

Media contact:
Jarryd Luke
Senior Communications Officer
0487 922 176

Outstanding WA pharmacists recognised

Wednesday 20 March 2019

Melinda Boss has received the WA Pharmacist of the Year Award at the annual Western Australian Pharmacist Awards night hosted by the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA).

PSA WA President Dr Fei Sim presented the award to Ms Boss at the University Club of Western Australia.

Lusi Sheehan was named WA Early Career Pharmacist of the Year and Emeritus Professor Dr Bruce Sunderland was presented with the WA Lifetime Achievement Award.

PSA National President Dr Chris Freeman delivered an engaging address on PSA’s work to enhance roles, recognition and remuneration for all pharmacists, as laid out in PSA’s Pharmacists in 2023 report.

Dr Sim congratulated Ms Boss on her important research and advocacy in the area of lactation.

“Melinda’s work demonstrates how a pharmacist can interact with the broader academic and medical community, raising the profile and influence of the pharmacy profession,” Dr Sim said.

Ms Sheehan received the Early Career Pharmacist Development Award for raising practice standards and providing a model of practice for her fellow Early Career Pharmacists.

“Lusi has extensive experience in community pharmacy and is a passionate advocate for the development of professional services,” Dr Sim said.

Dr Sim also congratulated Emeritus Professor Sunderland on his extensive experience and achievements in pharmaceutical education and research.

“Bruce has made significant contributions through a lifetime of commitment, leadership and dedication to the pharmacy profession.”

PSA also recognised new Life Members David Manners and Lawrence Spartalis on the evening, congratulating them for their 50-year membership with PSA.

Media contact:
Jarryd Luke
Senior Communications Officer
0487 922 176

New online training to support people living with diabetes

Wednesday 6 March 2019

JOINT MEDIA RELEASE

A new online course to support pharmacists in caring for people living with diabetes has been launched today by the peak national body for all pharmacists, the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) and Diabetes Qualified (DQ), the training arm of Diabetes NSW & ACT.

The Diabetes in Practice for Pharmacists course aims to help improve pharmacists’ health literacy to better support people living with diabetes to make informed choices about their health and thus improve health outcomes.

Diabetes in Practice for Pharmacists also supports several of the national priority actions in the recently released National Diabetes Implementation Strategy, contributing to the strategy’s goal of prioritising Australia’s response to diabetes and its complications and comorbidities, and reducing the impact of diabetes in the community.

PSA National President Dr Chris Freeman said the course focused on applying diabetes knowledge in everyday practice and supporting patients through better engagement, asking more meaningful questions and giving advice or referring on as needed.

“This new training program supports some of the key actions in PSA’s Pharmacists in 2023 by helping pharmacists in all practice settings have more supportive and meaningful conversations with their patients to prevent medicine misadventure and create better health outcomes,” Dr Freeman said.

“Diabetes is explained in simple terms using case studies and real life scenarios to provide examples of appropriate language to answer questions from a person living with diabetes about diabetes management and related products.”

Sturt Eastwood, CEO of Diabetes NSW & ACT said, “For many people living with diabetes their pharmacist is the health professional they see the most, so there is ample opportunity to have a conversation about diabetes care. We know that education leads to more effective self-care, which leads to reduced complications and better health outcomes.”

The course includes interactive modules and is relevant for pharmacists, intern pharmacists and pharmacy students with a special interest in diabetes. The introductory module is free for PSA members and the course provides pharmacists with the flexibility to work at their own pace.

To access individual modules or the full course, please visit the PSA website or DQ website.

The PSA and Australian Diabetes Educators Association (ADEA) co-developed Pharmacist Diabetes Educator career pathway also supports pharmacists providing services to people living with diabetes.

Media contacts:
PSA: Jarryd Luke, 0487 922 176
DQ: Danilia Walker, 02 9552 9904