Pharmacists integral to improve health outcomes for Australians
The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) – Australia's peak pharmacy body – has called on the Federal Government to implement six strategic measures in its 2021-22 Budget Submission that will enable pharmacists to significantly improve health outcomes for Australians.
Among the recommendations is the proposal to revise aged care funding instruments and invest $197.8 million over four years to support residential aged care facilities in directly engaging pharmacists to reduce preventable harm caused by medicines.
PSA National President Associate Professor Chris Freeman said the recent Royal Commission into Aged Care's interim report was critical of medicine management in Australia's aged care sector.
"The interim report highlighted widespread over-prescribing of drugs which sedate residents - often without clear consent - rendering them drowsy and unresponsive to visiting family and removing their ability to interact with people," he said.
"Inappropriately sedating residents of aged care facilities is not care, it's an abrogation of responsibility that must be addressed.
"We have seen that the role of pharmacists embedded within aged care facilities has been well received by patients, family members and healthcare professionals, and we call on the Government to dedicate 0.5 full-time equivalent pharmacists per 100 aged care residents."
Based on current residency, this would equate to 910 FTE pharmacists to support Australia's 181,200 people living in residential aged care - identifying, preventing and managing medicine-related problems, reducing polypharmacy and working with residents, family and their prescribers.
PSA recommends the 20-21 Federal Budget makes provision to:
· Adopt the MBS Taskforce recommendation to rebate non-medical health professional participation at case conferences;
· Amend aged care funding instruments to engage pharmacists in Australia's residential aged care facilities;
· Establish a digital nationally coordinated pharmacovigilance system for primary care;
· Fund pharmacists within Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services;
· Establish a Medicine Safety in Aged Care Resource and Support Program; and
· Introduce an MBS item for Pharmacist administration of a COVID-19 vaccine.
A/Prof Freeman said these recommendations provide an opportunity for the government to take action to reduce medicine-related harm and utilise the skills of pharmacists to improve health outcomes for Australians.
"Pharmacists are approachable, knowledgeable and highly trusted within the community and the Australian public want to see the skills of pharmacists put to full use," he said.
"Throughout the 2020 bushfire crises and COVID-19 pandemic, pharmacists have continued to provide essential services to patients.
"The Government needs to work with pharmacists to implement these recommendations to achieve positive health outcomes for the Australian community."
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