The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) has this morning welcomed the South Australian Government's move to expand pharmacist vaccinations across the state.
South Australians will now be able to visit their local pharmacist and receive more vaccinations including for chickenpox, measles, meningococcal, and shingles.
In addition to being able to administer more vaccinations, eligibility will be expanded to allow pharmacists to give a further three vaccines to South Australians from 10 years and older. This includes the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, the diphtheria, pertussis and tetanus vaccine (dTpa) and diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus and polio vaccine (DTPa-IPV).
PSA South Australia and Northern Territory Manager Helen Stone welcomed the move.
"PSA welcomes today's announcement from the Malinauskas Government to expand the range of vaccines pharmacists can access at their local community pharmacy," she said.
"As medicine safety experts and one of our most accessible frontline health workforces, pharmacists can play a greater role in improving access to medicines and health care for South Australian patients to enable better health outcomes.
"PSA has long advocated for pharmacists to play a greater role in vaccinating our communities and continues to push for pharmacists to be able to deliver all vaccines to patients of all ages.
"We welcome the expansion to include HPV, shingles, chickenpox, meningococcal and hepatitis vaccines by pharmacists.
"These are steps in the right direction to improving Australians access to care."
