Guild urges Qld Council

THE Pharmacy Guild of Australia has formally urged the Queensland government to establish a Pharmacy Council, with the move said to bring the state into line with all other Australian jurisdictions as well as “play an important role in bridging health gaps where pharmacies’ competencies could assist a health system under pressure”.

The Guild has lodged its submission to the Parliamentary Inquiry into the Establishment of a Pharmacy Council and Pharmacy Ownership ( PD 23 May), with branch president Kos Sclavos saying a Pharmacy Council would “ensure transparency of pharmacy ownership and structure.

“Furthermore as Queensland is such a decentralised state in terms of pharmacy services, we would like a Pharmacy Council to hold a public record of Queensland pharmacies and the key pharmacy services they offer,” he said.

“This would support best practice in dissemination of information on metropolitan, regional and rural pharmacies as front line health providers, and is critical at times of pandemic or health crises.”

Sclavos said patient support groups often asked the Guild for such pharmacy lists, particularly in relation to key services such as methadone dispensing, needle and syringe, medicinal cannabis dispensing and even specialty language staff facilitators.

The inquiry is also looking at the expanded role of pharmacists and pharmacy assistants in Queensland.

“Based on international data, we believe that existing competencies by pharmacists need to be utilised in a structured manner in the Queensland health system.

“This is a vital, first step before expanded scope of practice opportunities for pharmacists are considered and implemented across the health system,” the Qld Guild president said.

MEANWHILE, although the terms of reference don’t specifically canvas the issue, the Guild’s submission covers issues of pharmacy ownership.

“The Guild has passionately defended the current ownership structure which continues to serve the healthcare needs of the Australian public extremely well,” Sclavos added.

Public hearings in the inquiry will take place in Brisbane on 20 Aug and 03 Sep, with the committee due to report by Sun 30 Sep 2018.