Page 9 - Federal Budget Submission 2016-17

“ Countries with strong primary care systems generally have lower costs, as investment in primary care leads to healthier populations and reduced admission rates to hospitals.42
This submission highlights key areas in which existing health resources can be better coordinated and targeted within
a collaborative primary health care
model to improve health outcomes for Australians. In particular, it focuses on
the safe and effective use of medicines
to achieve the best possible results by: monitoring outcomes; minimising misuse, over-use and under-use; and improving people’s ability to solve problems related to medication, such as adverse effects or managing multiple medicines.
Pharmacist-delivered medication management and education services are the missing link in most general practices and Aboriginal Health Services. There are opportunities in these settings for a pharmacist to work with other members of the health care team to improve medication use and reduce errors for consumers with chronic disease.
This submission acknowledges the important role and significant impact that pharmacists can have on issues relating to health literacy and medication adherence and identifies opportunities to better utilise the skills and expertise of pharmacists to address the Government’s QUM policy objectives.50
PSA recommends that the Federal Government, in its 2016-17 Budget, allocates funding for practice pharmacists to work in general practices and Aboriginal Health Services to improve the quality use
of medicines through a coordinated, collaborative and integrated approach to care. In order to fully support these initiatives, the Government must also prioritise the continued development and innovation of the pharmacy workforce through funding training opportunities in non-traditional settings and the provision of
eHealth incentives.
Pharmacists can contribute to better medication management by (list is non-exhaustive)43:
Federal Budget Submission 2016-17 I ©Pharmaceutical Society of Australia Ltd. 9
• Identifying, resolving, preventing, and monitoring medication use and safety problems;
• Reducing poly-pharmacy and optimising medication regimens on the basis of evidence-based guidelines;
• Recommending cost-effective therapies;
• Designing tailored adherence and health literacy programs;
• Developing consumer medication action plans with self- management goals; and
• Communicating medication care plans to consumers, carers and other health care professionals in the team.
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