The Prime Minister has announced a $1 billion implementation plan aimed at Closing the Gap and contributing to the Priority Reforms, targets and actions to be taken across all areas of government.
Pharmacy Guild of Australia National President, Adjunct Professor Trent Twomey, says improving the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples is a national priority.
Mr Twomey underlined the Pharmacy Guild’s commitment to develop and implement policy and programs that work towards Closing the Gap and make medicines more accessible and affordable for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples across Australia.
There was now an opportunity to invest from the new funding envelope into additional delivery through pharmacies which would help accelerate a closing of the gap.
Community pharmacies have collaborated effectively for many years to improve health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities, Mr Twomey said.
“The Seventh Community Pharmacy Agreement features funding to enhance the Closing the Gap PBS Co-payment measure and provision for uncapped access to Dose Administration Aids for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples,” he said.
“Community pharmacies can also play a role supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education and employment through programs such as the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Pharmacy Scholarship Scheme and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Pharmacy Assistant Traineeship Scheme.”
Mr Twomey said growing the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander pharmacy workforce builds cultural safety and is a critical part of the care of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
“We can all play a part to Close the Gap. Community pharmacies, as local leaders, can connect with their local Indigenous communities and build relationships which ensure equity of access for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients to culturally safe primary healthcare services,” he said.
More detail on the Commonwealth Government’s initiative is at Closing the Gap Implementation Plan.
