Life Begins At.....
Issue link: http://ebook.aprs.com.au/i/54730
A PROPOSAL TO MAKE the pharmacy experience EVEN MORE REWARDING FOR SENIORS L egislation to be introduced by the Federal Government has the potential to make it much easier for patients to get certain repeat prescription medicines directly from their pharmacist without having to get a repeat prescription from their local doctor. However, the legislation most certainly does not aim to see pharmacists replace GPs in caring for patients or in diagnosing conditions. Quite clearly, pharmacists won't be able to undertake the initial diagnosis of a patient which leads to the medicine being prescribed. The Bill was introduced into Parliament by the former Minister for Health and Ageing, Nicola Roxon, and if passed will mean that it will come into effect in about July this year. However, when it was first introduced, there was reported concern from some doctors' representatives that in some way it was designed to have pharmacists replace doctors in the health chain. This is far from the intent of the legislation which rather than replacing the GP is just making sure the patient can continue taking the same medication if for some reason they cannot get to a doctor for a repeat prescription. This is the point that needs to be emphasised – making sure people can continue their health regimen if they can't get to a doctor for a repeat prescription. People won't be able to keep coming back to their pharmacist every month and ask for a repeat of their medicines. The proposed new system will only operate if the patient has lost or mislaid their prescription, and if someone 26 www.theretiree.com.au can't get to the GP. It's not intended to be a regular way of accessing your everyday medicines, and in fact is only to be used in exceptional circumstances. I want to reinforce that it is not, and never will be, an alternative to seeing your doctor. Rather, it will be a complementary service that may well help in the long term to ease the burden on doctors. But having said that, the legislation is an important and welcome step in ensuring continuing care for patients. Therefore the proposal most certainly will be welcome to many seniors who find it difficult to fit in a visit in to the doctor to get repeat prescriptions. It will also be welcome to patients who can also be reassured by knowing that pharmacists, who are the medicines experts, are helping to ensure that they have a continued supply of their medicines through this new system. Of course, with this new facility to provide repeat prescription medicines comes a great responsibility and as a result the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia, whose 16,000 members cover all sectors of the profession, is developing guidelines and a protocol for pharmacists to follow with continued dispensing. The development of these protocols has involved extensive consultation with many health organisations, including medical groups. I think it is important to repeat that the critical thing to remember about this new system of continued dispensing is that it allows for the supply of an eligible medicine to a consumer under the PBS when there is an immediate need for that medicine but it is not practicable to obtain a prescription. PHARMACY FEATURE