PSNZ push for pharmacy expansion

THE Pharmaceutical Society of New Zealand (PSNZ) is calling on the Kiwi Government to ensure a wider range of healthcare services are available at local pharmacies.

PSNZ President, Professor Rhiannon Braund, said World Pharmacists Day later this week was an opportunity to better recognise pharmacy’s role.

“Enabling innovative pharmacy practice and effectively utilising pharmacists’ skills would improve health outcomes in New Zealand,” she said.

“Making it possible for patients to access healthcare services through pharmacists, as well as GPs, is one way of removing barriers to accessing healthcare, particularly for high-risk populations,” Braund said.

“Pharmacists are the health professionals people see most often - in most communities they are the first place that people go to for health advice, particularly regarding common ailments.”

She said areas where pharmacists could be taking a wider role included increasing vaccination access, women’s health, warfarin monitoring, gout management and screening services such as throat swabbing for prevention of rheumatic fever.

“Improving access to healthcare services in the community is the first and most important step to preventing patients ending up i hospital later on.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted that community pharmacy is an integral part of the healthcare system, that can provide flexible solutions to New Zealand’s unprecedented healthcare challenges,” the PSNZ President added.