The Pharmacy Guild of Australia, Victoria Branch has welcomed the announcement that a re-elected Andrews Labor Government would fund a $19 million pilot of pharmacist treatment of uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTI) to commence from 1 July 2023.
As part of this pilot, pharmacies would be paid $20 per patient consultation by the Victorian government – with patients only having to pay for the cost of any prescribed medicine.
Labor has also announced that the pilot would also include pharmacists reissuing contraception prescriptions.
In addition, Labor has announced that the treatment of minor illnesses such as common skin conditions would be included in the pilot as well as the administration of travel vaccinations and more public health vaccinations.
Victorian Pharmacy Guild Branch President Anthony Tassone said Labor’s announcement would provide improved healthcare outcomes for patients across the State.
“Allowing pharmacists to provide women antibiotic treatment for UTIs and repeat prescriptions for oral-contraceptive therapy will provide choice and increase access to care that women need and reduce hospital presentations,” Mr Tassone said.
“Pharmacists are highly skilled and qualified medicines experts, who already assess, diagnose and treat common conditions every day.
“Authorising pharmacists to treat uncomplicated UTIs and issue repeat oral contraceptive prescriptions is a practical step that will help relieve the burden on our overstretched health system and ensure women have access to the routine healthcare services they need.
“While enabling pharmacists to undertake these roles is new for Victoria, it isn’t by international standards with pharmacist prescribing having occurred for some years in New Zealand, parts of Canada and the United Kingdom.
”Pharmacist treatment of uncomplicated UTIs is now a permanent program in Queensland after a successful pilot program saw more than 9000 women access the UTI health service, with 87 per cent of patients reporting resolution of UTI symptoms following antibiotic treatment prescribed by their local community pharmacist and over 92 per cent highly satisfied with the service.
“Data released last week by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) shows that almost 40 per cent of Australians who saw a GP for urgent medical care waited for 24 hours or more to obtain an appointment.
“Currently it may be quicker for a woman in metropolitan Melbourne to fly to Queensland to be treated for a non-complex urinary tract infection at a pharmacy than it is to book an appointment to see a local GP.
“This is not a criticism of our incredibly hard-working GPs but a reality of what patients are facing, and is a challenge for our health system and our health professional workforce to not just work harder but be able to work smarter,” Mr Tassone said.
Mr Tassone welcomed the inclusion of pharmacist treatment of minor illnesses like common skin conditions and the administration of travel vaccinations and more public health vaccinations.
“Community pharmacists have also proven their capacity to relieve pressure on other primary health care providers as part of Australia’s COVID-19 vaccination program, and we also welcome the announcement that pharmacists will be able to administer travel vaccinations and more public health vaccinations,” Mr Tassone said.
Mr Tassone said that in practical terms, the establishment of these programs would take time, including the rollout of appropriate additional training for participating pharmacists with the pilot to commence from 1 July 2023 should the Victorian Labor government be re-elected.
“This announcement follows the recent decision by the NSW government to have a UTI pharmacy prescribing pilot in their state, and the Queensland government making pharmacist treatment of uncomplicated UTIs a permanent feature of their primary healthcare system.
“While we know that pharmacists can do even more to contribute to primary healthcare in Victoria, these initiatives are still a win for patients in this State,” Mr Tassone said.
Text: Pharmacy Guild.
