Disaster dispensing reform required

PHARMACISTS should have the authority to dispense standard size packs of prescription medicines without a script in emergency situations, the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) Queensland Branch, believes.

The push to replace the current three-day emergency dispensing provisions is one of five recommendations the PSA is putting to the State Government as part of its pre-Budget submission.

PSA Queensland Branch President, Chris Campbell, noted similar provisions had been successfully implemented in NSW, Victoria, the ACT and South Australia, in response to the ongoing bushfire crisis.

“Over the past few months, our nation has experienced one of the worst bushfire seasons in history,” he said.

“During this emergency, many people have had to urgently evacuate their homes, leaving behind many of their personal possessions, sometimes including life-saving medicines.

“This crisis has demonstrated the shortcomings of current legislation, which only allows pharmacists to supply three-days of medicines in an emergency situation. “Those impacted not only find it exceptionally challenging to get a prescription, but should not have this additional worry at such a stressful time.

“In most cases, this would give people access to at least 30 days of medicine; a common sense change for a decentralised state such as Queensland.”

The PSA has also urged the Queensland Government to expand the range of vaccines that pharmacists can administer in the state, provide pharmacists with access to National Immunisation Program (NIP) and state-funded vaccine stock for eligible patients, empower pharmacists to administer “low-risk” travel vaccines, including for typhoid, cholera and rabies, and allow pharmacists to vaccinate children aged 10 and older.

“Pharmacists are already authorised to provide vaccinations, but there are some limiting restrictions,” Campbell said.

“If these are removed, we believe vaccination rates would increase.”

The PSA called on the Government to allocate $26 million over four years to fund pharmacistled self-care or triage, $900,000 a year to employ pharmacists in the 16 Queensland Health operated aged care facilities to boost quality use of medicines in the sector, and funding to establish the role of Queensland Chief Pharmacist.