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World Pharmacists Day celebrates medicines expertise

This year’s World Pharmacists Day on Tuesday 25 September highlights the many ways pharmacists improve public health in addition to dispensing medicines.

 

An initiative of the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP), World Pharmacists Day explores the theme of “Pharmacists: Your medicines experts and so much more.”

 

FIP President Dr Carmen Peña said the day celebrates “the extensive expertise that pharmacists have and put to use every day to ensure better patient health. This expertise is applied through science and research, through educating the next generation, and through transforming patient needs into services.”

 

PSA National President Dr Shane Jackson said Australia is missing out on the opportunity for pharmacists to do more with medicines by confining them largely to the dispensing of medicines.

 

Pharmacists, especially those in community pharmacy, want to have a suite of services available to them to be able to assist the patient in medication management.

 

“PSA wants to see pharmacists applying all of the knowledge and skills from their years of training in contemporary and innovative ways,” Dr Jackson said. “That’s why PSA is working on the Pharmacists in 2023 Action Plan – to empower pharmacists to apply their unique medicines expertise for the greater benefit of their patients.”

 

In a statement to the House of Representatives on Thursday 20 September, Member for Dobell and pharmacist Emma McBride MP said, “I am pleased to support this day emphasising our role as trusted sources of knowledge and advice for not only patients but other healthcare professionals. With medicine now the No. 1 intervention in primary care, it’s appropriate that pharmacists play a role in
managing medication use over the long term.”

 

Ms McBride will visit an atrial fibrillation (AF) screening site at the Westfield Tuggerah main entrance from 10.30am to 12.30pm on World Pharmacists Day to celebrate the role of pharmacists.

 

PSA General Manager, Policy and Advocacy Belinda Wood said, “We know better health outcomes result from embedding pharmacists wherever medicines are used. But if we think in addition to dispensing medicines, we can unlock opportunities for better healthcare by equipping pharmacists to enhance community access to health services.”

 

As the peak national body for pharmacists, PSA is hosting a range of events across Australia, inviting consumers to talk with their pharmacist about medication management, vaccinations, health services and screening.

 

In particular, given the recent publication by hearts4heart of new AF guidelines, PSA and hearts4heart have organised for more than 20 sites across NSW, Victoria and Queensland to provide blood pressure and AF screenings to start conversations with people about their medications and refer them to their GP where appropriate.

-ENDS-

 

Media contact:

Jarryd Luke

Senior Communications Officer

0487 922 176