Aged care and community pharmacy

THE ongoing Royal Commission into Aged Care has prompted much discussion about the vital role of community pharmacists in aged care facilities.

The Guild believes a key challenge is to bolster the connection between local community pharmacies and the aged care facilities, so that the pharmacist dispensing the medication is also the pharmacist overseeing the medication management for the patient.

Community pharmacies that work with residential aged care facilities have long adopted an approach of translating best practice from the community sector into aged care settings.

It is important to recognise the importance of Residential Medication Management Reviews (RMMRs) and QUM activities undertaken by community pharmacists in collaboration with aged care staff.

Our view is that wherever possible, the delivery of these services should be directly connected to medicines supply by the local pharmacy, and focus on known medication related issues in residential aged care. It’s a view the Guild will be putting strongly to the Royal Comission in our submission to be lodged next month.