Last week the Western Australian Government announced a big step forward in making healthcare more accessible, safe, and affordable for everyone in the state. The changes announced by the state government mean your local pharmacist is here for you in more ways than ever before.
At the WA Pharmacy Forum, the Western Australian Minister for Health, Hon. Amber-Jade Sanderson, shared the exciting news with almost 550 delegates. She announced that appropriately trained pharmacists will soon be able to prescribe treatments for various acute conditions. This means patients can get care for issues like mild to moderate shingles, acne, dermatitis, musculoskeletal pain and inflammation, nausea and vomiting, and wound management directly from their local pharmacy.
Considering that over 1 million Western Australians visit community pharmacies each week, increasing the services offered by this network makes perfect sense. It's about using what we already have to make healthcare more accessible and convenient for everyone.
The announcement came after the official opening of The Pharmacy WA Forum 2024 by Western Australian Premier, The Hon. Roger Cook MLA. He spoke about the exciting potential of allowing pharmacists to practice to their full scope, moving toward more autonomous prescribing.
The ability to autonomously prescribe for a broad range of conditions offers an exciting step in community pharmacies’ ability to provide healthcare for all Western Australians.
Pharmacists participating in this initiative will undergo additional training and follow established clinical practice guidelines and protocols. If a pharmacist determines that more comprehensive care is needed, they will refer patients to their GP for further review or ongoing care.
The Pharmacy Guild of Australia WA Branch is working closely with the WA Government to roll out these new services. Andrew Ngeow, President of the Pharmacy Guild of Australia WA Branch, expressed his support for the reform, saying, "This reform will also provide the broader benefit of alleviating the pressures and cost of the health system. It will free up GP appointments and save unnecessary trips to hospital emergency departments."
Mr. Ngeow concluded, "I welcome the decision and look forward to community pharmacy offering these services to Western Australians by 1 January 2027."
