Pharmacy Guild of Australia National President and Cairns pharmacist, Professor Trent Twomey, said pharmacists were doing more for their patients than ever before, providing Australians with more choice and more affordable primary health care options.
“Already highly qualified health professionals, pharmacists are upskilling to increase the scope of the services they deliver, including being able issue prescriptions and advice for minor ailments like earaches, skin conditions and UTIs and administering a range of vaccinations,” said Professor Twomey.
“Pharmacists are a critical part of a holistic health system. We are putting our hands up to do more, to take the pressure off GPs and, more importantly, to keep Australians out of emergency departments,” Professor Twomey said.
“With pharmacy playing a more versatile role in the health care system, Australians with more serious conditions can be seen by their GP faster, when they need it most.”
New research reveals overwhelming support for pharmacists to step up, with 9 in 10 Australians saying they backed pharmacists to offer more primary health care services.
The data also shows pharmacists are highly trusted, with 82 per cent of Australians saying they have confidence in their pharmacist to provide health advice for common, non-complex conditions.
"The good news is with more than 36,107 pharmacists working across 5,900 community pharmacies nationwide, access to health care services has the potential to be better than ever.
"More than 95 per cent of metropolitan Australians live within 2.5 kilometres of a pharmacy, with 83 per cent of regional Australians within five kilometres. Many pharmacies are open evenings and weekends, further facilitating access.
"Queensland, New South Wales, Western Australia, the Northern Territory, and the ACT have all launched programs allowing community pharmacists to provide more health care services to their patients.
“These programs bring Australia in line with countries like England, Wales, Canada, and New Zealand, allowing patients to have a greater choice in how and where they access their frontline health care services," Professor Twomey said.
“On this World Pharmacist Day, we celebrate the critical role community pharmacies play in keeping Australians healthy and easing the burden on the greater health care system.”