Pharmacists recognised in Australia Day Honours

Tuesday 26 January 2021

 

The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) congratulates pharmacists and educators in the pharmacy profession on their Australia Day Honours.

 

Several pharmacists and respected contributors to healthcare and pharmacy received awards, including:

• Professor William Charman – Office of Order of Australia (AO)
• Professor Peter Carroll – Order of Australia (AM)
• Colonel William Kelly (retired) – Order of Australia (AM)
• Mr Rodney Whyte – Medal of Order of Australia (OAM)
• Mrs Judith Ann Ingham – Medal of Order of Australia (OAM)

 

PSA National President, Associate Professor Chris Freeman, congratulated all recipients for their awards, saying it recognised their contributions to the Australian health sector, to pharmacy and to the broader community.

 

Colonel Kelly (Retd), ACT Branch Vice President, received his AM for his significant service to pharmacy through a range of roles.

 

“Bill’s award recognises a sustained and broad leadership career which includes Chairperson of the Pharmacy Board of Australia and the ACT, Colonel Consultant Pharmacist in the Australian Army, and Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Head, Professional Division at the PSA.”

 

Professor Carroll, a PSA Board member, received his award for his significant contribution to pharmaceutical education and community health.

 

“Professor Carrol has been largely responsible for the introduction of a number of very significant practice changes during his long and distinguished career. His work on expanding the role of community pharmacists in NSW in the administration of vaccines has without doubt had a very significant effect on patient welfare and overall community health.

 

“Peter has provided a significant contribution in the education of students studying Medicine, Nursing and Pharmacy as well as the continuing professional education of GPs, Nurses and Pharmacists,” A/Prof Freeman said.

 

Professor Charman received his AO for distinguished service to tertiary education, particularly to the pharmaceutical sciences, and to professional organisations.

 

“Prof Charman’s career is unparalleled at both a national and international level. His leadership in pharmacy education has actively shaped pharmacist practice across the globe while translating his significant research for the betterment of human health. Bill has represented pharmacists at the highest international level in his role on the Board and the Executive Council of the International Pharmaceutical Federation.”

 

PSA 2017 Victorian Pharmacist Medal winner, Mr Whyte OAM, received his award for service to pharmacy, to professional societies, and to the community.

 

Mrs Ingham received her OAM for service to the community and to pharmacy.

 

A/Prof Freeman paid tribute to the contribution of the award recipients.

 

“It is fitting to see the work of these respected professionals recognised with their Australia Day honours – a tribute to their ongoing work on their own behalf and those they work with and for,” A/Prof Freeman said.

 

“They have earned their awards for many years of dedication and commitment to pharmacy and Australian society – PSA congratulates them.”

PSA welcomes TGA approval of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine

25 January 2021

 

The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia today welcomed the Therapeutic Goods Administration approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to be rolled out as part of Australia’s COVID-19 vaccination program.

 

PSA President, Associate Professor Chris Freeman, said today’s TGA announcement was an historic step towards Australia’s national COVID-19 vaccination program. Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine will be administered at designated Pfizer Hubs across Australia.

 

A/Prof Freeman noted that while the Pfizer vaccine would not be administered in community pharmacies, pharmacist vaccinators may form a vital part of the vaccination workforce at these public health vaccination clinics.

 

“Pharmacists stand ready to administer COVID vaccines to the Australian community. Today’s approval of the Pfizer vaccine represents a significant step in Australia’s fight against COVID-19,” he said.

 

Community pharmacists are expected to administer other COVID-19 vaccines from Phase 2a when they become available.

 

“The government has indicated it will be approaching community pharmacies this week seeking to participate in this program, and PSA encourages pharmacists to take the opportunity to be at the frontline of this.

 

“Pharmacists are appropriately skilled and equipped to deliver these services as the roll out of Australia’s COVID-19 Vaccination Strategy continues, including providing significant workforce and infrastructure capacity once other vaccines, such as the AstraZeneca vaccine, becomes available,” A/Prof Freeman said

 

Active ingredient prescribing imminent

Tuesday 20 January 2021

 

From 1 February 2021 the majority of prescriptions for supply under the PBS and the RPBS must describe the medicine by active ingredient name to be eligible for subsidy.

 

Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) National President Associate Professor Chris Freeman said while current pharmacy workflows or processes largely won’t change, pharmacists should continue talking with consumers about their medicines active ingredient names where possible.

 

“Pharmacists have an important role to play when it comes to explaining to patients why their prescriptions may look different,” he said.

 

“When these changes come into effect it is critical that pharmacy staff are prepared to have the necessary conversations with patients and continue to provide information about the brand options available to them.

 

“It may take some time for patients to get use to describing their medicines by the active ingredient names however in the longer term it will improve medication safety by reducing potential confusion of multiple brands of the same active ingredient.”

 

Active ingredient prescribing will apply to PBS and RPBS prescriptions, except:

 

• Handwritten prescriptions;
• Paper based medication charts in the residential aged care sector;
• Medicinal items with four or more active ingredients; and
• Other items excluded for safety or practicality reasons.

 

Doctors can still include a brand name on a prescription if or if required for PBS authority and disallow brand substitution if a specific brand of medicine is required.

 

There will be a six month grace period where if a pharmacist receives a prescription that does not contain active ingredient names they will be required to contact the prescriber and ask them to reissue the prescription in accordance with the requirements.

 

If the prescriber is unable to issue a compliant prescription for any reason, then the pharmacy may supply and claim for the medicine as normal under the PBS without penalty. After the grace period, non-compliant prescriptions generated before 31^st July 2021 will still be able to be supplied and claimed until their expiration.

 

Active Ingredient Prescribing –FAQs – https://www.psa.org.au/active-ingredient-prescribing-faqs/

 

Media contact: PSA media 0487 922 176

NSW budget provides opportunity to improve health outcomes

14 January 2021

 

The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia has called on the New South Wales Government to action five key areas to improve access to medicines and health care for the NSW population in its 2021-22 Budget Submission.

 

The PSA recommends regulatory change to enable pharmacists to administer additional vaccines such as the COVID-19 vaccine and travel vaccines. In addition, funding of vaccines to eligible persons through the National Immunisation Program and state-funded programs should be made available through community pharmacies to increase access and herd immunity.

 

PSA NSW Branch President Chelsea Felkai said in the past 12 months, the NSW Government has facilitated greater access to vaccination by enabling pharmacists to vaccinate children aged 10 years and over for influenza and allowing pharmacist administered vaccination outside a community pharmacy.

 

“Australian pharmacists have been administering vaccines safely and effectively since 2014 and across all States and Territories since 2016,” she said.

 

“Community pharmacists provide an accessible and safe location for the delivery of vaccination services and by improving vaccination rates, pharmacies can help ease pressure on general practice and hospital emergency departments.

 

“PSA recommends using pharmacist immunisers for large scale rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine in NSW and ensuring the COVID-19 vaccine and service is funded when administered by any trained immuniser, including pharmacists.

 

“If the goal is to vaccinate as many people as possible, safely and as soon as possible, then pharmacist immunisers must be involved in the administration of the COVID-19 vaccine.”

 

The PSA has also called on the New South Wales Government to allocate $7.5 million to facilitate and fund re-direction of non-urgent emergency presentations to community pharmacists.

 

In 2018-2019, there were 8.4 million presentations to Australian public hospital emergency departments. Of these, 2,976,532 emergency department presentations were in NSW, with 335,836 (11%) of these being considered as non-urgent.

 

Ms Felkai said patients seeking care from the emergency department for conditions such as headaches, coughs and colds, earaches and other non-urgent conditions could instead visit their community pharmacy.

 

“There is strong evidence that the clinical advice provided by community pharmacists regarding symptoms of minor illness results in the same health outcomes as if the patient went to see their GP or attended the emergency department,” she said.

 

“Pharmacists can manage non-urgent conditions or low urgency conditions, provide the right level of care and mitigate funding and system inefficiencies as patients access professional support for conditions that can be self-managed or require referral.”

 

Other recommendations in the submission include support and funding of pharmacists to enable enhanced harm minimisation activities such as the administration of the buprenorphine injection for opioid agonist treatment in NSW. Improvements in opioid agonist treatment have broader health implications such as reducing the prevalence of infectious conditions in the wider community.

 

Further to this, additional funding is being sought to enable pharmacists to support positive health outcomes and patient self-care for Hepatitis C, in line with national and global elimination targets by 2030.

 

Additional funding to embed pharmacists in state funded aged care facilities to support medicine safety are in line with the PSA’s medicine safety report.

 

Ms Felkai said medicines are the most common intervention in health care and alarmingly, problems with the use of medicines is also common, 250,000 hospital admissions a year across Australia with an annual cost of $1.4 billion.

 

To view the 2021-22 NSW Budget Submission click here: https://www.psa.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Budget-Submission-2021-22-NSW-Final.pdf

 

Media contact: PSA media 0487 922 176

Pharmacists to play key role in COVID-19 vaccine rollout

Wednesday 13 January 2021

 

The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) welcomes comments made by Health Minister Greg Hunt that pharmacists will be involved with the delivery of COVID-19 vaccines, where they can met the requirements set by Government.

 

PSA National President Associate Professor Chris Freeman said PSA has been meeting with the Department of Health regarding multi dose vial administration and how to support clinicians with safe delivery of all approved vaccines.

 

“Pharmacists have a vital role to play when it comes to the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines ensuring there is enough capacity in the system to allow the public to be vaccinated as quickly as possible.” he said.

 

“PSA has for some time urged all state and territory governments to amend legislation that will allow pharmacists to administer a COVID-19 vaccine and while some jurisdictions have made these necessary changes, others have been slow to act.”

 

“So, we call on state and territory governments where required to urgently change legislation in such a way that will also allow pharmacists to vaccinate in any setting to ensure there is wide and comprehensive uptake of the vaccine.

 

“A proactive approach to legislation amendments means that the entire available health care workforce, including pharmacists, will be able to undertake a large-scale vaccination program.

 

“Pharmacists are more than capable, qualified and willing to provide this service to ensure the large scale rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine.”

 

In announcing the COVID-19 vaccine rollout plan, Minister Hunt pointed to the current network in place which achieved 17 million vaccinations last year, many administered by pharmacists.

 

It is expected the rollout of the vaccine will commence in mid-to-late February, broken down into five key phases.

 

Front line health workers including pharmacists will be part of phase 1 which will see over 6 million Australians vaccinated.

 

 

Media contact: PSA media 0487 922 176

Vale Mr John Ware OAM

The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) is saddened to hear of the passing of a past President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia, Mr John Ware OAM.

 

John was a National President of PSA and State President of PSA (Vic) Branch Ltd., and was one of only a small number of Australians to have been awarded a Fellowship of the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP). He contributed globally in the field of Pharmacy including as President of the Western Pacific Pharmaceutical Forum and as President of the FIP Foundation.

 

As Chair of the Victorian College of Pharmacy he led the team that negotiated integration of the monodisciplinary College of Pharmacy into a single faculty structure of Monash University. He was subsequently Chair of the Faculty Council of the Victorian College of Pharmacy, Monash University.

 

John and his wife Nariel have provided the Ware Fellowship investing in postdoctoral research at the Faculty into leadership in pharmacy.

 

PSA National President Associate Professor Chris Freeman said “John had demonstrated sustained dedication to the pharmacy profession and had been a driving force in the development and expansion of the role of the pharmacist in Australia.”

 

John was one of the key establishers of the concept of pharmaceutical care in Australia supporting pharmacists to develop their professional skills, enhancing their role in medication management and assisting the profession to strive forward.

 

“On behalf of PSA I would like to pass on my deepest condolences to his wife Nariel, his family, friends and many colleagues.”

 

John was recently awarded a Victorian Lifetime Achievement Award by PSA. This was presented by PSA Victorian President Mr John Jackson in December 2020.

 

Mr Jackson said: “John has worked tirelessly and given much of his life to professional pharmacy both in Australia and internationally and leaves a huge legacy to the profession. He will be missed.”

 

PSA urges rural and remote pharmacies to check RPMA eligibility

Wednesday 23 December

 

The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia is calling on pharmacies in regional, rural and remote areas to check their eligibility following changes to the Rural Pharmacy Maintenance Allowance to the new Regional Pharmacy Maintenance Allowance (RPMA).

 

The Federal Government yesterday announced that as of 1 January 2021, RPMA eligibility and payment values will no longer be based upon the Pharmacy Access/Remoteness Index of Australia (PhARIA) categories and will instead be based upon the Modified Monash Model (MMM) rural classification system.

 

PSA National President Associate Professor Chris Freeman said pharmacists should check their eligibility with Pharmacy Programs Administrator (PPA) website to understand the impact of the new requirements.

 

“Many pharmacists across Australia play such an important role in providing primary healthcare to patients in rural and remote areas,” he said.

 

“It is therefore important that these pharmacists are supported by government in recognition of the additional financial burden of maintaining a pharmacy service in these areas.

 

Increased investment in regional, rural and remote areas was included in the 7CPA, including a 10% increase in the RPMA with the opportunity for further increases in subsequent years.

 

“PSA is supportive of measures that improve workforce challenges and remuneration for pharmacists in regional, rural and remote locations, however we remain concerned that there may be some pharmacists worse off under the new requirements.”

 

A list of FAQs and a Factsheet explaining the RPMA Payment Matrix will be published on the PPA website.

 

A/Prof Freeman said the PSA will continue to work with the Government to ensure essential pharmacies in rural and remote areas receive the assistance they need to continue to provide much needed services.

 

“These services have never been more important as highlighted by the bushfire crisis and COVID-19 pandemic during 2020,” he said.

 

“I encourage pharmacists to connect with PSA through policy@psa.org.au so that we may better understand the impact of the RPMA change on pharmacist practice.”

 

Media contact: PSA media 0487 922 176

Victorian pharmacists honoured

Tuesday December 22

 

A number of talented pharmacists have been honoured as part of the PSA 2020 Victorian Excellence Awards.

 

Due to COVID-19 restrictions there was unable to be a ceremony with all six recipients receiving their awards from PSA Victorian President John Jackson at their respective workplace on Monday.

 

Mr Jackson said he was delighted to present awards to this year’s winners in what has been a difficult 12 months for so many.

 

“2020 has been an extraordinary year where pharmacists in Victoria have been tested to the absolute limits but have met those challenges head on,” he said.

 

“All six winners have exemplified a significant contribution to the profession throughout this year and their careers and I congratulate them all on this worthy recognition.

 

“I would also like to take this opportunity to recognise all Victorian pharmacists for their dedication and professionalism throughout 2020.

 

“I am incredibly proud of how the profession has stood up as frontline health professionals and cared for the community during the bushfires and pandemic with over 8000 pharmacists working in community pharmacies, hospitals, aged care facilities, general practice and beyond in Victoria.”

 

The 2020 PSA Victorian Excellence Awards winners are:

 

Victorian Pharmacist Medal – Dimitra Tsucalus

 

Pharmacist of the year – Dimitra Hoppe

 

Early Career Pharmacist of the year – Esa Chen

 

Lifetime Achievement Award – Valerie Constable and John Ware OAM

 

Intern Pharmacist of the year – Jarrad Walker

 

Dimitra Hoppe said it is an honour to be recognised as Victorian pharmacist of the year in 2020.

 

“I feel like this award is not just recognition for me but all those who surround me including employers, my colleagues and all the pharmacists I have had the opportunity to work with along the way,” she said.

 

“I have been lucky enough to work with some terrific people across a diverse range of roles and this award is as much of a reflection on them as it is me.”

New Queensland Core Palliative Care Medicines List for patients

Thursday 17 December 2020

 

The Queensland Government has partnered with the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) and other stakeholders to develop a Core Palliative Care Medicines List for Queensland Community Patients.

 

The List has been developed as part of the Queensland Health palliPHARM initiative which aims to ensure all community-based palliative care patients have timely access to appropriate medicines through their community pharmacy as required.

 

PSA Queensland Branch President Shane MacDonald said timely access to palliative care medicines will ensure emergent end-of-life symptoms are optimally controlled.

 

“It is important for Queensland pharmacists, prescribers and aged care facility staff to work collaboratively to ensure that palliative care medicines are proactively prescribed, easily accessible and administered safely to patients,” he said.

 

“PSA urges community pharmacists in Queensland to stock medicines on the Core Palliative Care Medicines list, with four of the five listed first-line medicines available to be supplied to patients on the PBS.

 

“This is such a critical time, not just for patients, but their families, carers and loved ones, ensuring timely access is such as simple part of the care pharmacists provide.

 

“These medications are needed within hours, not days, which is why it is so important that pharmacies commit to always holding stock of end-of-life medications and communicating this commitment with GP colleagues and palliative care teams.”

 

Prof Liz Reymond, Director of palliPHARM and a specialist palliative care consultant, said that even when people are very sick with a terminal illness, most say they would choose to be cared for at home – whether that is their own private house or their residential aged care facility – and to die there if possible.

 

“This requires collaboration across many health professionals including GPs prescribing anticipatory medicines for symptom control and community pharmacists to dispense those medicines in a timely fashion.”

 

palliPHARM, developed by Queensland Health, contributes to high-value and patient-centred care by promoting delivery of the right care, at the right time, in a setting of the person’s choice.

 

PSA has developed a palliPHARM website where Queensland pharmacists can access the Core Palliative Care Medicines list along with other educational resources and useful information.

 

The PSA palliPHARM website can be accessed here: https://www.psa.org.au/pallipharm/

A win for interdisciplinary collaboration

Tuesday 15 December 2020

 

The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia welcomes the final report released by the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) Review Taskforce, in particular the proposal to encourage increased patient participation and a rebate for non-medical health professionals attendance at case conferences.

 

PSA National President Associate Professor Chris Freeman said the need to allocate rebates for non-medical health practitioner attendance at case conferences had been raised repeatedly by PSA and other stakeholders.

 

“PSA has championed pharmacists’ access to collaborative care items on the MBS for a long period of time and this recommendation to the Federal Health Minister brings us one step closer to achieving this,” he said.

 

“Creating MBS items for non-medical health practitioners to align with the equivalent GP items will foster better collaboration and enhanced safe and quality use of medicine outcomes for patients.

 

“This recommendation, if implemented by Government, means pharmacists will be one of the eligible groups to be remunerated for participation in interdisciplinary case conferences.

 

“Across community pharmacies, aged care, and in general practice the change to case conference reimbursement in addition to the recent introduction of the follow up medication reviews will be a game changer in improving the safe and quality use of medicines.”

 

PSA supports ongoing work to strengthen, modernise, and protect Australia’s world class health system, and the importance of keeping the MBS contemporary and able to meet the needs of patients.

 

A/Prof Freeman said PSA notes the Taskforce final report suggests the need for more research around MBS services and interventions as well as consideration of alternate funding models that best support patient care.

 

“PSA acknowledges that the 10-year primary Health Care plan will help provide a platform to this approach.

 

“PSA congratulates the Taskforce’s commitment to providing high-value recommendations to promote quality health care and patient safety supported by robust evidence.

 

“We look forward to working with the Federal Government to progress relevant recommendations to implementation.”

 

Media contact: PSA media 0487 922 176