Pharmacists to vaccinate against more diseases in NSW

Pharmacists will be able to protect the NSW public against whooping cough and measles, the NSW Government has announced in a move welcomed by the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA).

 

Pharmacists will help make immunisation more accessible by vaccinating against diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (dTpa) and measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) from 1 January 2019.

 

The dTPa and MMR vaccines, along with the influenza vaccines pharmacists currently provide, will be available to patients 16 years and over.

 

PSA NSW President Professor Peter Carroll congratulated the Government for allowing pharmacists to provide more vaccines.

 

“Many people within the community do not regularly visit a GP, and allowing accredited pharmacists to administer dTpa and MMR vaccines will significantly increase the immunisation rate within the community, and reduce the incidence of these diseases.

 

“The administration of vaccines by pharmacists complements the excellent work done by GPs. It increases the immunisation rate, and has a positive effect on people’s health in NSW.”

 

As the peak national body for pharmacists, PSA has advocated for many years in collaboration with the Pharmacy Guild of Australia to allow pharmacists to deliver more vaccinations.

 

Pharmacists in NSW have given influenza vaccines to people 18 years and over since 2016. They already provide dTpa and MMR vaccinations in other states such as the Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia and Victoria.

 

The Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Health Council recently announced their decision to establish a working group to consider a nationally consistent approach to pharmacist administered vaccinations.

 

PSA National President Dr Shane Jackson said a nationally consistent approach would make vaccinations more accessible for all Australians.

 

“I commend the NSW Government for making full use of pharmacists’ expertise and training to better protect the community.

 

“We look forward to working with the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee to ensure pharmacists across the country are better equipped to provide a wide range of vaccinations.”

 

PSA will contact pharmacists in NSW about the training available for them to provide vaccinations.

 

 

-ENDS-

 

Media contact: Jarryd Luke, Senior Communications Officer – 0487 922 176

Exceptional Tasmanian pharmacists honoured

Respected pharmacist Graeme Holloway received the Tasmanian Pharmacist Lifetime Achievement Award at the fifth annual Tasmanian Pharmacist Dinner on Saturday 20 October.

 

Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) National President Dr Shane Jackson presented the award to Mr Holloway at the iconic Henry Jones Art Hotel on the Hobart waterfront.

 

Tom Simpson won Pharmacist of the Year at the awards night, while Emma Shepperd took home the Early Career Pharmacist Award.

 

The event was a collaboration between PSA, the Pharmacy Guild of Australia, the Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia (SHPA) and the University of Tasmania Pharmacy Department.

 

PSA National President Dr Shane Jackson congratulated Mr Holloway and said his dedication to pharmacy had helped raise the standards of the profession and pharmacy organisations.

 

“Graeme was a fantastic mentor, not only to his own staff but to the hospital pharmacy interns he trained in his own time,” he said. “He was also recognised earlier this year when he was awarded PSA Life Fellow status at the PSA18 national conference in Sydney.”

 

Mr Holloway is a former president and national delegate of the Pharmacy Board of Tasmania, responsible for redrafting the Tasmanian Pharmacy Act.

 

Tom Simpson, the Executive Director of Statewide Hospital Pharmacy in Tasmania, was presented with the Pharmacist of the Year Award by SHPA National President Professor Michael Dooley.

 

Prof Dooley said, “Tom has applied his broad skillset, creativity and patient focus in a variety of roles including establishing Tasmania’s digital medical record system. In pharmacy he has shown passionate commitment to improving medication safety across Tasmania’s health system, including establishing rural pharmacy services to ensure patients in rural hospitals receive the same level of pharmacy care they would in acute hospitals.”

 

Emma Shepperd was announced the winner of the Early Career Pharmacist Award by Pharmacy Guild of Australia National President George Tambassis.

 

“Emma has successfully developed professional services, health promotions and community programs in the small town of Triabunna on the East Coast, attracting national news coverage,” Mr
Tambassis said. “She is the embodiment of a caring community pharmacist making a difference.”

 

Pharmacist Greg Kay was also awarded the Guild Distinguished Service Award, and Harvey Cuthill OAM received PSA Life Membership.

 

–ENDS–

Media contact:

Jarryd Luke

Senior Communications Officer

0487 922 176

Queensland inquiry recommendations support important role of pharmacists

The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) welcomes recommendations made by the Inquiry into the establishment of a pharmacy council and pharmacy ownership in Queensland – a move in the right direction for pharmacists practising to their full scope, and for maintaining the strong pharmacy ownership structure that has served the Queensland public well.

 

PSA National President Dr Shane Jackson said PSA welcomes the Committee’s recommendation to support current provisions relating to the ownership of pharmacies by pharmacists in Queensland.

 

“The current pharmacy ownership system supports patient safety and helps maintain public confidence in high-quality pharmacy services being provided in Queensland,” Dr Jackson said.

 

PSA Acting Queensland President Chris Campbell said, “We welcome the Committee’s recommendation that the Department of Health lower the minimum patient age requirement for pharmacist-administered vaccinations to 16 years of age.

 

“The success of the Queensland Pharmacist Immunisation Pilot (QPIP), which led to pharmacists being able to vaccinate across Australia, has seen significant community health benefits including improved accessibility, patient satisfaction and lower out-of-pockets costs for patients.

 

“PSA also welcomes the recommendation for pharmacists to dispense emergency and repeat prescriptions, and that any change in pharmacists’ scope of practice should be underpinned by appropriate credentialing and training.

 

“The above recommendations are a step in the right direction but there are still more opportunities to take advantage of pharmacists’ unique expertise to better support the health of all Queenslanders.

 

“Pharmacists are one of the most trusted and accessible health professionals in Queensland, but their skills have not been put to full use because legislation hinders some areas of practice.”

 

PSA embraces the recommendation to establish a pharmacy advisory council containing a diverse range of members to provide expert advice to the Department of Health. We also agree with the recommendation from the Auditor-General that the Department of Health should strengthen processes and controls to ensure pharmacy ownership complies with the Pharmacy Business Ownership Act 2001.

 

PSA, as the peak professional body for pharmacists representing all of Queensland’s 5,800 Queensland pharmacists, looks forward to working with the Department of Health and the Queensland Government to continue making the most of the skills and expertise of pharmacists to provide the best healthcare for Queenslanders.

 

-ENDS-

Media contact:

Jarryd Luke

Senior Communications Officer

0487 922 176

Nationally consistent approach to pharmacist administered vaccinations will improve access for all Australians

The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) welcomes the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Health Council’s decision to establish a working group to consider a nationally consistent approach to pharmacist administered vaccinations.

 

PSA President Dr Shane Jackson said, “We applaud the Health Council’s initiative to build on the success of pharmacist vaccinations.

 

“Research has shown internationally and locally that pharmacists are considered highly accessible and they can boost vaccination rates, contributing to a reduced burden on our already over-burdened healthcare system.”

 

A national approach to pharmacist administered vaccination will reduce confusion, ensure better access for patients to quality vaccination services and utilise the pharmacy workforce appropriately.

 

“Regulation of pharmacist immunisers varies from state to state. It doesn’t make sense that pharmacists can only vaccinate for meningococcal disease in Tasmania and pertussis in some states such as South Australia, Victoria and Queensland.”

 

Pharmacists have provided vaccinations since 2014, and across all states and territories since 2016, leading to increased vaccination rates, including many people being vaccinated for the first time. Independent research commissioned by PSA has revealed almost two-in-three Australians believe pharmacists should be able to administer a broader range of vaccinations.

 

PSA has consistently called for:

 

• equitable access for consumers to a wider range of pharmacist administered vaccines across all States and Territories;
• consistent regulation of pharmacist immunisers across all States and Territories;
• increased consumer access to the National Immunisation Program (NIP) for all vaccines permitted to be administered by pharmacist immunisers in all States and Territories;
• enhanced recognition of the role of pharmacist immunisers and the evidence-based benefits they provide to consumers, the health system, and to public health; and,
• incorporation of pharmacist immunisers in Commonwealth and State/Territory immunisation campaigns, particularly the annual influenza immunisation campaign.

 

COAG Health Council has tasked the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee to establish a working group which will consider and recommend options for a nationally consistent approach for pharmacist administered vaccinations.

 

“We look forward to working with the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee on this muchneeded initiative,” Dr Jackson said.

 

Media contact:

Jarryd Luke, Senior Communications Officer

0487 922 176

Community Pharmacy in Health Care Homes Trial Program training modules now available

Community pharmacy’s involvement in the Health Care Homes trial, agreed to last year under the Pharmacy Compact as The Community Pharmacy in Health Care Homes Trial Program, presents an opportunity for community pharmacists to expand their involvement in coordinated and integrated care which is tailored to patient needs.

 

Training modules for the Community Pharmacy in Health Care Homes Trial Program (Trial Program) are now available on the Pharmacy Guild’s GuildEd learning platform and the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia’s (PSA) 6CPA Resource Hub. This series of modules have been developed collaboratively by the PSA and the Pharmacy Guild.

 

The training modules are tailored for pharmacies involved in the Trial Program, which is an interprofessional collaboration initiative funded under the 6th Community Pharmacy Agreement.

 

Pharmacies involved in the Trial Program will work in collaboration with general practices and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services to deliver patient-centred medication management services to patients with chronic or complex health needs.

 

The training package of 10 modules underpin the Trial Program’s aim to allow greater integration of community pharmacy into the healthcare team. One module has been specifically designed to assist pharmacy assistants in their role of helping to implement and deliver the trial program to enrolled patients.

 

The CPD accredited modules are:

• Preparing your pharmacy for the Community Pharmacy in Health Care Homes Trial Program
• Delivering the Community Pharmacy in Health Care Homes Trial Program
• Health Care Homes in practice
• Developing a Medication Management Plan
• Implementing and reviewing a Medication Management Plan
• Team-based health care
• Enhanced communication for a new model of care
• Embracing a new approach to community pharmacy practice
• Patient journeys
• Health Care Homes: what pharmacy assistants need to know

 

PSA has also developed Guidelines for pharmacists participating in the Community Pharmacy in Health Care Homes Trial Program to support effective implementation by pharmacists.

 

For more information on the training modules, contact either the Guild on (03) 9810 9930 or email learninganddevelopment@guild.org.au or PSA on 1300 369 772 or visit https://my.psa.org.au/s/article/Health-Care-Homes-Trial-Program.

 

More information on the Community Pharmacy in Health Care Homes trial program is available on the 6CPA website or please call the 6CPA helpline on 1300 555 262 or email healthcarehomes@6cpa.com.au.

 

-ENDS –

Media contacts:
PSA: Jarryd Luke 0487 922 176
Guild: Greg Turnbull 0412 910 261

PSA welcomes Royal Commission’s inclusion of medication management

The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA), the peak national body for pharmacists in Australia, welcomes the Federal Government’s announcement that medication management will be part of the Terms of Reference for the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety.

 

The Royal Commission will inquire into all aspects of the quality and safety of care in all forms of Commonwealth-funded aged care services, including medication management.

 

PSA National President Dr Shane Jackson said, “We welcome the Royal Commission’s commitment to investigate medication management in aged care, which has been a concern for many years.

 

“Medicines are complex and medication errors cost Australia more than $1.2 billion annually.

 

“PSA believes clearly defining the roles and utilising the expertise of pharmacists in aged care facilities would ensure appropriate prescribing, a reduction in medication errors, and clinical, operational and economic benefits through the safe and optimal use of medicines.”

 

In its contribution to the Terms of Reference, PSA urged the Government to ensure the Royal Commission examines the extent of suboptimal medication management in aged care, particularly the use/overuse of antipsychotics, sedatives and antimicrobials, and determine interventions and opportunities to address this to ensure safe and effective medication treatment.

 

PSA also suggested the Terms of Reference include how requirements of the Aged-Care Quality Standards and related guidelines relating to medicines management are being met in residential aged care facilities, and whether the principles of the Government’s Quality Use of Medicine strategy are currently being met within aged care.

 

PSA looks forward to seeing the Royal Commission’s interim report on 31 October 2018 and the final report in April 2020.

 

-ENDS-

Media contact:   

Jarryd Luke
Senior Communications Officer
0487 922 176

Updated guidelines released on absence from work certificates

The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) and the Pharmacy Guild of Australia have released the updated Absence from Work Certificates Guidelines for Pharmacists to assist community pharmacists who provide this service for people in their community.

 

Originally developed by PSA and the Guild in 2008 and revised in 2011, the guidelines have been further updated to provide greater clarity and guidance for pharmacists.

 

The 2018 guidelines re-iterate that a pharmacist must define their own scope of practice as stipulated by the Pharmacy Board of Australia and consider issuing certificates within this scope of practice.

 

PSA National President Dr Shane Jackson said the updated guidelines provide further guidance on the framework pharmacists should work within when providing these certificates. “They offer pharmacists clarity on duration of document storage, number of days to issue certificates, and how to handle non-face-to-face requests for certificates,” Dr Jackson said.

 

The National President of the Pharmacy Guild of Australia, George Tambassis, said: “More and more people in the community are becoming aware of the availability of absence from work certificates provided
by their local community pharmacist, so it is very timely that the guidelines have been updated so that pharmacists can refresh their understanding of the scope of this service.”

 

The guidelines feature updated terminology and references, as well as a sample information sheet about this service, highlighting that the responsibility lies with the employee to check with their employer about
accepting a certificate from a pharmacist.

 

-ENDS-

 

Media contact:

Jarryd Luke

Senior Communications Officer