Parliamentary Committee supports pharmacist-initiated UTI treatment in SA
27 September 2023
The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) welcomes the final report of the Select Committee on Access to Urinary Tract Infection Treatment tabled in the South Australian Parliament today.
The report recommends that:
- antibiotic medication to treat urinary tract infections (UTIs) be made available from South Australian pharmacists;
- the program be permanent; and
- that the model be implemented as soon as practicable.
PSA South Australia and Northern Territory President Dr Manya Angley FPS-AACPA welcomed the report’s recommendations, calling on Health Minister Chris Picton MP to accept them in full.
“By implementing the Committee’s recommendations, the South Australian Government has the opportunity to improve access to care for patients across our state,” Dr Angley said.
“Almost all Australians will soon have access to treatment for UTIs from their local pharmacist as more programs are stood up. We cannot let South Australia fall behind.
“Regional and rural communities across South Australia will benefit enormously from being able to access treatment from their local pharmacist, freeing up our hardworking rural GPs for more complex patient needs.
“We know that around half of women will experience a UTI in their lifetime, and that timely access to treatment is key to alleviating discomfort and preventing further complications or hospitalisation.
“As healthcare professionals we have a duty to provide timely, appropriate care to our patients, which means empowering our communities to access care in a way that best suits them.
“PSA strongly supports the recommendations made in the Committee’s final report, and calls on the Minister to action them as soon as possible.
“I join pharmacists across South Australia in saying that we forward to working with the Minister and SA Health to ensure that the program is implemented with the needs of patients at its core,” Dr Angley concluded.
The Select Committee on Access to Urinary Tract Infection Treatment’s final report can be found here.
Media contact: Georgia Clarke M: 0480 099 798 E: georgia.clarke@psa.org.au
