Pharmacy proposal has merit

IT MIGHT not sound interesting or even important to people how much scope a pharmacist has to do his or her work.

But it is something that should not be discounted. Pharmacists say there should be more flexibility to be able to deal with smaller things and believe this would take pressure off GPs.

It seems like a pretty smart idea but the powerful Australian Medical Association is certainly not for the idea. They say that a clear separation of the prescribing and dispensing of medication is needed.

There’s no doubt there is plenty of pressure on emergency departments and perhaps this is a way to help. Maybe people will head to a pharmacist at their shopping centre instead of going to the hospital for a minor problem. This is now the subject of a Queensland Parliament inquiry, one feels it might get a bit heated.

Serena’s unseemly racket

WHAT a reaction to Serena Williams and the controversy she generated at the US Open final. The tennis star and arguably the best ever player, men’s or women’s, reacted angrily to decisions from the umpire during the final, which cost her points and a game.

After the match she said what had happened was “sexist” and she was standing up for women’s rights.

There’s no doubt there are some serious issues that tennis battles with but this was not handled well. Williams’ own coach even admitted he signalled her during the game — so the umpire was within rights to make the decision.

Should more be done to stop it in both the men’s and women’s game? Yes, absolutely. The thing that Williams forgot about during that final was her opponent, Japan’s Naomi Osaka, who was left in tears after her first Grand Slam win.

Perhaps it’s a battle that was better left to after such a showcase of tennis — instead of taking the focus away from what should have been a magical moment for Osaka.