Govt needs to support primary care
AUSTRALIA’S COVID-19 booster vaccination program could be derailed if the Federal Government does not adequately remunerate immunisers in primary care settings, Pharmacy Guild of Australia Victorian Branch President, Anthony Tassone, warns.
With the Victorian State Government confirming it will close eight mass vaccination centres by mid-Dec, Tassone told Pharmacy Daily it was clear there will be a reliance on pharmacies and GPs to deliver booster shots.
However, both pharmacy and medical professionals have criticised current remuneration levels, with the Guild reporting that many pharmacies are opting out of the program, because the fees fail to cover the costs of administering the doses.
“It is a recipe for disaster for patients in the New Year wanting to stay protected,” Tassone said.
“From the start, the Guild has advocated that there should be a ‘same job, same jab, same pay’ approach to remuneration when it comes to the COVID-19 vaccine.
“The vaccine is no more effective in protecting patients or preventing hospitalisation or death just because a doctor administers it rather than a pharmacist.
“On multiple occasions, the Guild has made representations to the Federal Government to urgently review the COVID-19 remuneration and provided modelling for the indicative costs of delivery of the program.
“We have clearly stated that anything less than $26/dose, which was the remuneration for the second dose of the primary schedule when given to a patient who had seen the same pharmacy provider would be seen as a cut by the profession and not viable.
“With over 2.2 million doses of the COVID vaccine administered through community pharmacies nationwide – it is obvious that patients have accepted and valued the participation by pharmacies.
“The numbers of pharmacies participating in the booster program speak for themselves.
“It’s a loud and clear message being sent by pharmacies and primary care of the need for proper remuneration to be involved in the booster dose program.
“It’s not up to community pharmacies to subsidise the Australian Government’s booster dose program – which is critical to keeping borders and the economy open and patients out of hospital.
“It’s now up to the Federal Government to decide whether they want to listen to ensure patients continue to be protected against the COVID virus, or risk seeing what is occurring in parts of Europe with a new wave of infections and more lockdowns.”
MEANWHILE a spokesperson for Federal Health Minister, Greg Hunt, told The Age that the Government supported the delivery of COVID vaccines by community pharmacists, and would “continue to support their work”.