Pharmacy Student of the Year wildcard announced

18 January 2023

 

The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) has proudly awarded Ingrid Stroud from the University of Canberra with the 2023 Pharmacy Student of the Year wildcard as part of the National Australian Pharmacy Students Association (NAPSA) Congress.

 

The PSOTY award recognises and celebrates Australia’s outstanding pharmacy students. The award showcases the knowledge, skills and abilities of select students to the broader pharmacy profession, whilst giving them the opportunity to apply, and be judged on, their counselling skills.

 

The PSOTY wildcard is awarded to an outstanding student to compete alongside state finalists in the national PSOTY competition held at PSA23.

 

The 2023 competition was judged by PSA Chief Executive Officer Mark Kinsela, Early Career Pharmacist Erin Cooper and NAPSA representative Emma O’Donnell.

 

The judges congratulated Ingrid Stroud and commended all finalists on their skills as the next generation of pharmacists.

 

“Each of the competitors should be very proud of the knowledge and skills they presented,” Erin Cooper said on behalf of the judging panel.

 

“The Pharmacy Student of the Year competition requires students to communicate with their patient, take patient history and make a clinical recommendation for treatment.

 

“It is heartening to see the future of our profession on show, demonstrating a high level of clinical knowledge, capability and passion – it’s clear that the future of pharmacy is incredibly bright.

 

“Congratulations to Ingrid on taking out this year’s wildcard competition. We look forward to seeing you at PSA23 for the national finals.”

 

 

Media contact:   Georgia Clarke   M: 0410 505 315     E: georgia.clarke@psa.org.au

PSA welcomes refreshed National Medicines Policy

20 December 2022

 

The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) welcomes the updated National Medicines Policy, announced today by Minister for Health and Aged Care, the Hon Mark Butler MP.

 

The National Medicines Policy is a framework for ensuring Australians have timely access to affordable, quality medicines that are used appropriately.

 

The refreshed plan elevates the need to address access challenges, particularly equity and equality for all Australians, and is consistent with PSA’s plan for the future, Pharmacists in 2023, placing patients at the centre of care supported by pharmacists as medicine experts wherever medicines are prescribed, supplied or administered.

 

Dr Fei Sim, National President of PSA, congratulated Professor Michael Kidd AM on delivering an improved policy which meets the contemporary needs of Australians.

 

“Medicines are our most common intervention in health care. It is essential that Australians have access to quality and affordable medicines when they need them.” said Dr Sim.

 

“PSA has long advocated for the NMP to be reviewed, so we are very pleased to see the Minister deliver on this today. We welcome support for national pharmacovigilance systems, however it is crucial that these systems be nationally coordinated and real-time in order to significantly reduce harms which can be caused by medicines.

 

“We also welcome the recognition that clinical indicators will need to be used to evaluate policy, as this is something else PSA has been fighting for over many years. It is great to see Minister Butler commit to regular 5-yearly reviews to ensure the NMP remains up to date.

 

“PSA has long been concerned about the preventable harm caused by medicines and has driven the conversation on medicine safety in Australia. We are excited to see changes in policy which should help drive solutions and improve medicine safety for all Australians and look forward to partnering with the government and other organisations to deliver on the goals of this policy.

 

PSA would like to thank the Expert Advisory Committee members including Emeritus Professor Lloyd Sansom AO, Dr Sarah Dineen-Griffin MPS, Mr David Herd, and Mrs Jan Donovan for their contributions.

 

Media contact:   Candice Burch M: 0403 973 097     E: Candice.burch@psa.org.au

The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia is the only national peak body that represents all of Australia’s pharmacists across all practice settings. We want every Australian to have access to the best healthcare, and this must include optimising access to pharmacists’ knowledge and medicines expertise at the forefront of our healthcare system.

SA Health Sector must work together to improve patient access

19 December 2022

The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) strongly rejects recent comments made by Australian Medical Association South Australia (AMA(SA)) that pharmacist prescribing pilots put patients at risk and calls on the AMA(SA) to work collaboratively with South Australian pharmacists to improve patient access to health care.

 

PSA SA/NT Branch President Veronika Seda MPS welcomed the Parliament of South Australia Select Committee inquiry on Access to Urinary Tract Infection Treatment.

 

“The Queensland Urinary Tract Infection Pharmacy Pilot (UTIPP-Q) has been undeniably successful, improving patient access to timely care.

 

“Pharmacists are registered health professionals with the same ethical and moral obligations as doctors. Pharmacists undergo a minimum of five-years’ training, as well as additional education and training so that they can provide the best possible care to their patients.

 

“Prescribing and dispensing are separate clinical activities. However, there are many examples where it is widely accepted that they can both be undertaken by the same clinician – whether this be vaccination, supply of Schedule 2 or Schedule 3 medicines – such as thrush treatments or medicines for migraines – or supply of a month’s prescription medicine in an emergency.’

 

“The common factor in all of these is strong clinical governance oversight, including professional standards, regulation, and program rules. A UTI program in South Australia would be no different.”

 

“Pharmacist prescribing trials conducted in other jurisdictions have shown pharmacists adhere to these strict protocols based on antimicrobial stewardship and best practice guidelines. Referral to a GP, where appropriate, is embedded into the protocol.

 

“Measures such as pharmacist vaccinations and pharmacist prescribing improve safe access to care. There is incredible demand on doctors, especially for complex presentations and chronic disease management. 

 

“It is time for doctors’ groups to put aside turf wars and work with other healthcare professionals to find better ways to support patients, because patients deserve timely access to care – they should not be disadvantaged based on their location, health or social status.

 

PSA remains committed to working collaboratively with the entire health sector to deliver best outcomes for patients.

 

 

Media contact:   Candice Burch M: 0403 973 097     E: candice.burch@psa.org.au

PSA launches Accreditation Credentialing Program

7 December 2022

 

The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) has today launched the PSA Accreditation Credentialing Program for Comprehensive Medication Management Reviews (MMRs), ahead of the closure of the Australian Association of Consultant Pharmacy (AACP) later this month.

 

The PSA has engaged an Accreditation Expert Advisory Group, chaired by Debbie Rigby FPS and supported by experts A/Prof Chris Freeman FPS, Deborah Hawthorne MPS, Dr Andrew Stafford MPS, Dr Manya Angley FPS, and Tim Perry FPS.  This expert group has advised on the Accreditation Credentialing Program which will be developed by PSA for launch mid-2023.

 

To accommodate learners already engaged in the credentialling process and those wanting to complete Stage 2 early next year, we have implemented a program that reflects the current structure of AACP.

 

PSA National President Dr Fei Sim says that PSA is the natural home for accredited pharmacists, as the only organisation with a track record of supporting and advocating for accredited pharmacists in all practice settings.

 

“We are incredibly proud to offer a complete package of high-quality learning, training and ongoing career support for accredited pharmacists and those looking to become accredited,” Dr Sim said.

 

“PSA’s Accreditation Credentialing Program will give pharmacists the knowledge, communication skills, and counselling to provide high quality, complex medication review services through collaborative care models with other health care providers.

 

“Accreditation provides opportunity for career pathways and progression, a key pillar of PSA’s ongoing advocacy for roles, remuneration and recognition of pharmacists.

 

“PSA, as a co-founder of AACP, has supported accreditation in the Australian healthcare system for over 20 years.

 

“As an organisation we have a long history of advocating for accredited pharmacists, from introducing RMMRs introduced under 2CPA, to expanding roles for accredited pharmacists in GP clinics.

 

“We are very proud of how far accredited pharmacists have come, but we are now focussed on how we can continue improving and growing this workforce.

 

“It is vital that accredited pharmacists are fairly remunerated and able to earn a full-time salary from their qualifications.

 

“PSA will continue advocating for the removal of the cap on HMRs and RMMRs, and for onsite accredited pharmacist roles in aged care, general practice, and disability care. We are focussed on advocating for pharmacists to be able to prescribe, deprescribe, administer and review medicines, regardless of location.

 

“We have a strong vision for the future of accreditation and wants to see accreditation become another major career pathway for pharmacists.”

 

“Accreditation will continue to evolve as we expand the scope of practice of pharmacists and enable pharmacists across practice settings to practice to top-of-scope. Whilst the role of accredited pharmacists may evolve in the immediate future, accreditation provides an infrastructure for scope expansion. It preserves pharmacists’ independence in practice, commensurate with remuneration.”

 

PSA’s Consultant Pharmacist Conference (CPC) will be held in Adelaide from 2-5 May 2023 as part of ongoing education for accredited pharmacists.  PSA members will receive a 50% discount on conference registration.

 

Accreditation application fees are in line with AACP’s offering, but PSA will not charge an accreditation fee for PSA members and will not charge ongoing reaccreditation fees to members. More information on the PSA Accreditation Credentialing Program is available here.

 

For enquiries about accreditation with PSA, please contact the PSA Member Services team on membership@psa.org.au or 1300 369 772.

 

The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia is the only national peak body that represents all of Australia’s pharmacists across all practice settings. We want every Australian to have access to the best healthcare, and this must include optimising access to pharmacists’ knowledge and medicines expertise at the forefront of our healthcare system.

 

Expanded vaccination access for WA residents

22 November 2022

 

 

The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) welcomes today’s announcement from the West Australian Government that patients will soon have expanded access to the National Immunisation Program (NIP) through their local pharmacist.

 

From 22 November 2022, patients over 11 years of age will be able to access dTpa and human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccinations, and patients over 15 years of age will be able to access Meningococcal ACWY vaccinations, and patients over 16 years of age will be able to access Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) vaccinations, all from their local pharmacist.

 

WA PSA State President Lusi Sheehan says that the move will make vaccinations more accessible to more West Australians.

 

“Allowing more patients to be vaccinated by their local pharmacist is a vital step in ensuring accessible healthcare for all West Australians,” Ms Sheehan said.

 

“Pharmacists are trained and experienced immunisers, having delivered more than 9 million COVID-19 vaccines administered by community pharmacists.

 

“It’s fantastic to see that WA remains the home of one of the most progressive pharmacist-administered vaccination programs in Australia, an important vote of confidence in our pharmacist workforce.

 

“PSA has been calling on governments around Australia to allow us to play a greater role in community health and a large part of that is expanding funded vaccinations in community pharmacies.

 

“We’re looking forward to working with the WA Government to ensure that pharmacists are empowered to practice to their full potential.”

 

PSA National President Dr Fei Sim said it was vital for regulations around vaccination to be consistent across all states and territories.

 

“At the moment, every jurisdiction in Australia has different regulations around which vaccinations can be administered by pharmacists.

 

“COVID-19 related school closures, absenteeism and work from home orders have all impacted community vaccination rates as scheduled vaccination outreach in schools and workplaces have been disrupted. On top of this, GP shortages have also impacted the accessibility of vital vaccinations. The result is patients falling through the cracks, putting our communities at risk from preventable infectious diseases.

 

“Australians should be able to access the same level of health care regardless of where they live. A nationally consistent schedule of pharmacist-administered vaccinations is key to achieve equitable access to government-funded vaccines by all Australians.

 

“Allowing pharmacists around Australia to deliver all vaccinations to all ages, they’re sending an important message to the public about the importance of vaccination.

 

“This is an opportunity for governments around Australia to show significant leadership and to encourage vaccination uptake, particularly in young people.”

 

 

 

Media contact:   Georgia Clarke   M: 0410 505 315     E: georgia.clarke@psa.org.au

Healthcare access top priority for Victorian election

18 November 2022

 

The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) has celebrated the Victorian Labor Party’s commitment to healthcare access, welcoming today’s announcement that Victorians will soon be able to access more services from their local pharmacist.

 

Labor’s health spokesperson Mary-Anne Thomas has today announced that, if elected, pharmacists in Victoria will be able to provide oral contraception and travel vaccines to patients and will also trial pharmacist prescribing for Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs).

 

Under this proposal, Victoria will also become the first jurisdiction in Australia to fund pharmacists to deliver these services with no out of pocket costs to patients.

 

PSA Victoria President John Jackson said that the proposal would improve access to care and reduce out-of-pocket costs for women across the state.

 

“Giving patients greater access to medicines and healthcare, whether it is renewing prescriptions for oral contraception, treatment for a UTI, or vaccination for overseas travel, is a great step forward for all Victorians,” Mr Jackson said.

 

“Allowing women to access oral contraception and treatment for UTIs directly from their local pharmacist is about equitable, affordable, and timely access to healthcare.

 

“All Australians have felt the pressure on our health system. When patients can’t see their GP, they’re instead seeking care at a hospital Emergency Department or not getting treatment at all, which is regularly putting patients at risk of further complications.

 

“Pharmacists are accessible, skilled healthcare professionals that can work collaboratively with other healthcare providers to ensure all patients can access the care they need, when they need it.”

 

Mr Jackson also said that the community has demonstrated their confidence in pharmacist-administered vaccines throughout the pandemic, with pharmacists now firmly entrenched as part of Australia’s immuniser workforce.

 

“Pharmacists have now delivered more than 9 million COVID-19 vaccinations alongside a range of other vaccines. We have proven how valuable we are to improving vaccination accessibility, so we are excited to be able to help patients with their travel vaccinations too.

 

“While the world has re-opened to travel, the health system remains under significant pressure. Providing patients with more options to access travel vaccinations just makes sense.

 

“It’s fantastic to see the Victorian Labor Party agree that pharmacists can and should be playing a greater role in primary healthcare.”

 

Mr Jackson urged all parties standing at the state election this weekend to support the commitment, saying that the outcome of the upcoming state election should not impact the availability of care for Victorians.

 

“Improving access to basic healthcare is above politics. Patients across Victoria deserve certainty that they will have the same access regardless of who the Premier is in a few weeks’ time.

 

“I encourage all major parties and all candidates to put the health of Victorians first and commit to improving healthcare access this election.”

 

 

Media contact:   Georgia Clarke   M: 0410 505 315     E: georgia.clarke@psa.org.au

Equitable access to basic healthcare must be priority for ACT Government

14 November 2022

 

 

The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) has urged the ACT Government to follow New South Wales’ lead to allow pharmacists to do more amidst ongoing GP shortages.

 

The NSW Government announced yesterday (13 November 2022) that pharmacists who undergo further training will be able to participate in a 12-month trial to prescribe medication for urinary tract infections (UTIs), as well as a pilot to prescribe oral contraception and medications for minor skin conditions and ear infections.

 

PSA ACT President Olivia Collenette says that Canberrans deserve the same access to basic healthcare as residents living over the border.

 

“In the ACT we have patients waiting up to three weeks for an appointment with a GP, leaving significant gaps in care,” Ms Collenette said.

 

“Canberrans deserve better access to medicines, whether it’s anti-biotics for an infection or oral contraceptives.

 

“Forcing a patient who has been on oral contraception for years, for example, to wait for a GP appointment to get their script renewed significantly limits the accessibility of contraception and basic healthcare.

 

“Pharmacists are Canberra’s most accessible health care providers, we are ideally placed to support patients to access to contraception and basic healthcare.

 

Ms Collenette added that allowing pharmacists to treat minor ailments would bridge the access gap caused by GP shortages.

 

“When a patient has a painful infection and can’t see their GP, they’re going to go to the emergency department to seek treatment. This is only putting more pressure on our already stretched hospitals.

 

“We know that GP shortages are not going to be fixed overnight, so it’s vital that the healthcare sector work together to ensure patients can access the treatment and medicines they need.

 

“The ACT Government should take immediate action to allow pharmacists to support community health. The government must put patients first.”

 

 

 

Media contact:   Georgia Clarke   M: 0410 505 315     E: georgia.clarke@psa.org.au