Guild issues plea for calm to protect supply chain

PHARMACY Guild of Australia National President, George Tambassis, is calling on the public to respect pharmacists and not to make unreasonable requests for multiple repeat prescriptions.

Speaking on ABC Radio Sydney this morning, Tambassis stressed pharmacists’ professional legal obligations would prevent them from providing multiple repeats, as patients seek to stockpile medicines due to concerns the country may go into lockdown as the Federal, State and Territory Governments seek to control the spread of COVID-19.

“If any medication is out of stock it’s only temporary,” he said.

“Sometimes if there’s heightened anxiety out there, give it a day or so and it’s going to be back in stock.

“In cases where there’s an urgent need for a prescription to be filled, community pharmacists will work closely with that particular patient to find that remaining stock...but panic buying of medication is just unnecessary.

“Pharmacists have responsibilities under our professional legal obligations when we can only give you what’s required and what we think is safe, please don’t ask your local pharmacist for multiple repeats - it’s just not going to happen, we can’t do it and you’ll put the supply chain under pressure if you do.”

He added there had been a number of reports from Guild members of violence towards pharmacy staff from angry and frustrated patients.

“I cannot condone that,” he said. “I need all staff members in pharmacies to remain safe and to feel safe, because we’re frontline - people can walk into pharmacies without an appointment, ask us questions about COVID-19, we’re happy to help, but our staff need to feel safe.”