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Pharmacists ready to administer more vaccines to more Tasmanians

Thursday 23 March 2023

 

The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia joins with the Tasmanian premier encouraging Tasmanians to utilise the vaccinating skills of their local pharmacist when having a prescribed vaccine dispensed.

 

Premier Rockliff this morning launched updated Tasmanian Immunisation Program Guidelines at a pharmacy in South Hobart, which comes into effect today.

 

PSA’s Tasmanian President David Peachey welcomed the Premier’s support and endorsement of the skills of pharmacists as core part of Tasmania’s vaccinator workforce:

 

‘Pharmacists are ready to support the Tasmanian population by administering prescribed vaccines and bypassing an unnecessary return trip to the medical centre after a vaccine has been dispensed at a community pharmacy’

 

‘Next time you take a prescription for a vaccine to your local pharmacy, you can save a return visit to the medical centre by having your pharmacist administer it for you. This is in addition to medicines pharmacists can already authorise and administer, including influenza, COVID19, whooping cough and Measles/Mumps/Rubella (MMR).’

 

Mr Peachey said the move would help reduce pressure on wait times for medical services, as well and provide a more convenient option for patients:

 

‘Tasmanian pharmacists know all too well the overwhelming pressure and demand our medical colleagues are experiencing, and we welcome any initiatives remove an unnecessary step in accessing health care, such as vaccination.

 

‘All health professionals need more time to with their patients who have more complex health needs, and having local pharmacists administering more vaccines helps facilitate this.’

 

PSA continues to advocate for pharmacist to be able to authorise as well as administer routine and travel health vaccines as their counterparts in other states, particularly NSW and Queensland, are already able to do.

 

PSA will also continue to advocate for the removal of cost discrimination on vaccine administration:

 

‘It makes no sense that patients cannot access a consultation fee for the administration of a vaccine, by pharmacists yet the MBS has provision for both nurses and medical practitioners to do this in general practice. Mr Peachey continued.

 

’As long as community pharmacists must continue to charge administration fees to cover the cost of this service, it will not reach its full potential.’

 

Media contact: Georgia Clarke M: 0480 099 798 E: georgia.clarke@psa.org.au