60-day dispensing policy to go ahead
Australian pharmacies pleas to scrap the 60-day dispensing policy have fallen on deaf ears with the proposal confirmed in the recent budget release.
The 60 day dispensing reform will mean that patients will be able to claim double the amount of medication with one script at no extra cost.
Pharmacists across Australia have warned that the changes will be detrimental in the long run.
Melissa Close of Capital Chemist Narrandera said that the government failed to discuss the new policy beforehand with pharmacists and the new policy would be extremely difficult to take into stride.
“It has become obvious that due process was not followed, no economic modelling was undertaken and there are now serious concerns the federal government failed to undertake proper consultation for the most significant change to the PBS in decades,” Mrs Close said.
“It is estimated that the supply chain will take up to three years to prepare for a change to dispensing of this magnitude.
“Especially as there are many shortages of medications … this is why pharmacies are so concerned about out of stocks and actually being able to supply one month’s supply of medication, let alone two.”
The new policy was introduced as a way to ease the cost of living crisis but pharmacies are worried about the pressure it will put on an already strained supply chain with over 500 medicines already unavailable and 70 more about to follow suit.
Over 900 medicines are to be included in the policy including blood pressure, heart medications, blood thinners, diabetes medications, anti-depressants and more.
There are growing concerns that with the increased availability of these medications at home, it could see a rise in accidental over-doses, side effects going undetected increased hospitalisations and significant medication waste.
According to Mrs Close, the policy will also have significant impact on community chemists such as her own.
“This policy will take an average of $175,000 of funds out of every community pharmacy in Australia,” Mrs Close said.
“This will translate in not being able to provide services to our community at no charge, or for a very low fee.
“And what I am most gutted about is that I cannot provide the same job security to my staff that they have now… Our team deserves so much better that this, particularly after their work in the last three years of the pandemic.
“We have several staff members who have been on the pharmacy team for over 20 years, which is a huge resource of community knowledge that is at risk.”
It is estimated that pharmacies will have to cut staff by 30 per cent in order to make up for the loss in funds.
In addition to these staff cuts, the Narrandera community will lose services that pharmacies have been able to provide using the dispensing fee and extra funds such as dozens of blood pressure checks, free home delivery, extended opening hours, walk-in vaccinations and supplying medication to the local aged care facilities.
In order to try and protest the new policy, Capital Chemist have started a petition which that can be signed in store.
“I am deeply appreciative of all of our customers and families that have shown their support,” Mrs Close said.
“We hope that we encourage the government to find a resolution that makes medicines cheaper for the community, without devastating the community pharmacies that deliver them.
“I do not want to come across as a ‘whinger’ however, I do feel strongly that I have to advocate for my team, community pharmacy and the industry as a whole.
“If you are concerned about this, please come in and sign our petition and we also encourage everyone to write to your local MP, and to the Labor Senators that have implemented this policy.”
This article appeared in the Narrandera Argus, 1 June 2023.
