Pharmacy Guild National President Trent Twomey has written to Health Minister Mark Butler to express concerns over the government's Opioid Dependence Treatment (ODT) policy.
In the letter sent in late June, Professor Twomey explains the Guild’s concern at the speed of the policy’s implementation and that, “ongoing patient access is threatened by impending market failure of the program.”
Professor Twomey goes on to say in the letter, “The Department of Health and Aged Care has significantly underestimated the administrative burden of the transition period, including the manual assessment and adjustment required for existing prescriptions.”
The letter also spells out a lack of consultation as well as a “…negligible regard paid to the real concerns of community pharmacies after the policy announcement,” and that the policy has a funding shortfall of $41 million and is funded by, “cuts to pharmacies’ dispensing income.”
The letter follows seven occasions in which the same concerns were expressed verbally to both the Minister and the Department.
Professor Twomey says the Guild remains open to further meetings with Minister Butler to resolve the issue.
