Doctors surprised by plan to allow pharmacy into primary care; AMA says Government's health priorities 'all wrong'

Updated

Leading doctors' groups say they are surprised by the Government's decision to inject $18.9 billion into the pharmacy sector, while putting a Medicare patient rebate freeze on patients and doctors.

Health Minister Sussan Ley said the Federal Government had reached an in-principle deal with pharmacists on the Sixth Community Pharmacy Agreement, which would result in cheaper medicines for consumers and see pharmacists move into primary care.

But Australian Medical Association (AMA) vice-president Stephen Parnis said: "The Government has its health priorities all wrong."

Pharmacy primary care could include: managing chronic conditions such as arthritis

caring and treating wounds

managing the supply of medications for patients with mental health problems

The president of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, Frank R Jones, said the Government had "bowed to the pressure of the pharmacy sector".

"This is despite existing programs failing to demonstrate clear benefit for patients and the taxpayer," Dr Jones said in a statement.

Pharmacy Guild of Australia executive director David Quilty welcomed the agreement, including the $1.2 billion investment for pharmacy programs to move into primary care.

"This agreement provides for greater oversight by pharmacists to ensure that people can manage their medicines effectively," Mr Quilty said.

"We strongly support pharmacists working more closely with GPs and ensuring people get the highest standard of care."

But the AMA said there was no evidence that this would improve patient outcomes.

"Pharmacists are a very important part of the multi-disciplinary aspects of medical care, but they are not doctors. And they shouldn't try to be," Dr Parnis said.

"If you want medical care, you want to see someone who has medical training, who takes the responsibility for it, who has the indemnity for it."

AMA casts doubt on value for patient outcomes

Pharmacists already offer services such as blood pressure tests and medication reviews, but the agreement could dramatically increase the type of medical services they could offer.

Ms Ley was clear that any move into services offered by doctors would be done gradually.

"We are doing this carefully and in an evidence-based way," she said.

Ms Ley said the agreement would result in cheaper medicines for consumers, giving pharmacists the option to discount the patient co-payment by $1.

We have seen past proposals and worry about fragmentation of patient care because these pharmacy 'services' may not add any value for patient outcomes. AMA vice-president Stephen Parnis

"Patients have many scripts, sometimes many a month, and the discounted co-payment opportunity that pharmacists can provide in this agreement ... will actually really improve patients' affordability when it comes to medicines," she said.

"For the first time, I sat down with everyone across the supply chain for medicines ... the manufacturers, the wholesalers, the dispensers, the prescribers and most importantly the consumers."

The Government estimates it will save between $5 billion and $6 billion across the pharmaceutical sector through these changes, as well as the previously announced changes to the cost of generic medicines.

All pharmacy programs, new and existing, will be reviewed and approved by the Independent Medical Services Advisory Committee.

But Dr Parnis said the Government would be spending "a lot of money for programs that are yet to be devised".

"We have seen past proposals and worry about fragmentation of patient care because these pharmacy 'services' may not add any value for patient outcomes," he said.

As part of the deal, the Government has also agreed to give pharmacists a new handling and administration fee for dispensing advice.

Location rules governing where pharmacies can open remain in place, but will be reviewed in two years' time.

Topics: pharmaceuticals, federal-government, government-and-politics, health-policy, healthcare-facilities, australia

First posted