RACGP continues UTIPP-Q attacks

CRITICISM of the Urinary Tract Infection Pharmacy Pilot Queensland (UTIPP-Q) is continuing, despite a leaked report heralding the trial a success (PD 17 May).

Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) Queensland Chair, Dr Bruce Willett, questioned the independence of the report conducted by the trial lead, Queensland University of Technology (QUT) School of Clinical Sciences Head, and pharmacist, Professor Lisa Nissen.

“Essentially we have a poorly designed trial with a stated outcome from the beginning resulting in a recommendation for pharmacists by a pharmacist on self-reporting by other pharmacists with no independent assessment of patient outcomes,” he told the RACGP’s NewsGP publication.

“Hardly an independent, well informed or surprising outcome.”

The leaked report found 87% of the 2,409 patients who were able to be contacted for follow-up by a pharmacist after receiving treatment through the UTIPP-Q reported that their symptoms had resolved after using prescribed antibiotics.

However, Willett noted that the number of respondents reflected just over a third of the 7,000 patients who participated in the trial, suggesting the response rate undermines the pilot.

A spokesperson for the Australian Medical Association Queensland Branch (AMAQ) declined to comment on the details of the leaked document, which were reported by The Australian.

“We aren’t prepared to comment on a report we haven’t seen,” a AMAQ spokesperson told NewsGP.

“We are still calling on Queensland Health to publicly release the report”.