Close the Gap, urges PSA

THE Pharmaceutical Society of Australia has called for a national approach to integrate non-dispensing pharmacists into Aboriginal Health Services.

Such an initiative would help to Close the Gap for Indigenous Australians, according to PSA president Shane Jackson, who said the Society is currently developing an evidence-based primary care and funding model to boost health outcomes among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Jackson said having a culturally responsive practice pharmacist integrated with an Aboriginal Health Service (AHS) builds better relationships between patients and staff, leading to improved results in chronic disease management and Quality Use of Medicines.

“The integration of a nondispensing pharmacist in an AHS has the potential to improve medication adherence, reduce chronic disease, reduce medication misadventure and decrease preventable medication-related hospital admissions to help Close the Gap,” Dr Jackson said.

Last year Health Minister Greg Hunt launched a ‘Pharmacists in Aboriginal Health Services’ trial under the Sixth Community Pharmacy Agreement (PD 31 Jul 2017), with the PSA developing the trial in partnership with the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation.

The PSA has also established a national ACCHO Pharmacist Leadership Group (PD 01 Nov 2017) to foster collaboration and inform policy in support of pharmacists working in Indigenous health.

MEANWHILE Indigenous Health Minister Ken Wyatt on Fri announced a four-year Tackling Indigenous Smoking (TIS) program, which will provide “certainty, continuity and record funding for proven local campaigns and new initiatives to save lives and reduce the devastating impacts of tobaccorelated disease”.