Michelle Daw, Yorke Peninsula Country Times
Chemists on Yorke Peninsula are cutting back on opening hours and making other changes to save money in response to the introduction of 60-day dispensing on September 1.
The federal government initiative allows GPs to issue two-month prescriptions of a select group of medications to treat common chronic conditions including asthma, cardiovascular disease, depression, diabetes and hypertension, so patients can save on dispensing fees.
Nearly 100 common medicines listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme are included in the first stage of the policy and the list will grow to more than 300 over the next year.
Already, opening hours at the Maitland and Minlaton pharmacies have been cut by half an hour each weekday, to close at 5pm, and proprietor Noel Allen said he would probably have to close both pharmacies on Saturdays.
“I will be surprised if Saturday survives, which is a shame because some people only come into town on a Saturday,” he said.
“This would be terrible for the town and for tourists too.”
Mr Allen said he had laid off an assistant pharmacy manager who provided support to each of his five regional pharmacies and expected to make other cuts.
The Minlaton and Maitland pharmacies had previously provided weekly packing of dosage administration aids, also known as Webster-paks, as a free public service, but will now charge $6 a week.
“Seventy patients in each store are affected — that will cost them more than $300 per year,” he said.
“In reality, it costs us about $15 per week to pack them so we are still subsidising.
“We may have to charge the full cost eventually.”
Maitland and Minlaton pharmacy proprietor Noel Allen said savings being made by patients on dispensing fees were being covered by pharmacies, not the government.
“Most pharmacies are small businesses run by devoted pharmacists and staff,” he said.
“The funding cuts as a result of this new model will cost the average pharmacy $180,000 per year in lost gross profit — the profit which pays the bills and keeps the pharmacy open and brings a resident pharmacist to town with pay and accommodation.”
Mr Allen said the Regional Pharmacy Maintenance Allowance increase announced by the federal government would only be worth about $22,000 a year each for the Maitland and Minlaton pharmacies and would not cover the loss of income from 60-day dispensing.
Stansbury Pharmacy owner George Kokar said he used to open on Saturdays between the October long weekend and Easter to cater for summer visitors but from this year, he would only open one Saturday a month to coincide with the Stansbury Market.
And he said he was considering closing or only opening for reduced hours on days when he was away to save on the cost of paying a locum pharmacist.
“We have introduced a number of fees for services we previously did for free or a small charge such as Webster packs, blood pressure monitoring, vaccinations, delivery of prescriptions, sick certificates, signing documents, wound dressing, et cetera,” Mr Kokar said.
“In its current form, 60-day dispensing may make medicines more affordable for a minority and the government itself, but it will increase the price of services for the most vulnerable, who won’t save any money in general.
“The extra strain on the (medicine) supply system means it will become less reliable than it already is and with a number of pharmacies looking to close in towns across Australia access in a lot of regions will be severely compromised.”
Meanwhile, the Pharmacy Guild has entered into early negotiations with the federal government over the eighth Community Pharmacy Agreement, which is expected to take effect from March 1, 2024.
Pharmacy Guild SA branch president Nick Panayiaris said the guild had agreed to suspend its public campaign against 60-day dispensing during the negotiations as a sign of good faith.
“We are hoping we can address the potential impact of 60-day dispensing on community pharmacy,” he said.
This article appeared in Yorke Peninsula Country Times, 12 September 2023.
