BY DANEIE GEDDES
Labor's plans to double prescription dispensing periods to 60 days in next month's budget has raised concerns for regional and rural communities.
It's feared the plan could create severe medicine shortages and delays, with regional communities like the Hunter at the forefront of it's impact.
With many Hunter residents already facing challenges in accessing medical support, the decision looks to make those challenges even more difficult.
National President of the Pharmacy Guild of Australia Trent Twomey says millions of patients will be worse off.
"I don't want to see a stand-off in any community in Australia where some patients get double the medicine they need, while others get nothing," he said.
A new poll shows 8 in 10 Australians reject Labor's plans to double prescription dispensing periods.
"The research is crystal clear, Australians do not support a policy if it means pharmacy shelves are bare and patients miss out on vital medicine they need. We are calling on the Federal Government to reconsider," Mr Twomey said.
National Vice President of the Pharmacy Guild of Australia, Anthony Tassone, says medicine shortages are not the only concern.
"There's nothing to be frightened about. It will save people from the country and everywhere from having to go to the pharmacy twice a month when you can just go once every two months," he said.
He's reassuring rural residents, the plan is a great advancement for community pharmacy and said the concerns will have more of an impact on pharmacy income than patient health.
"It's a great cost-saver for patients and for the government, the only people that loose out is pharmacists who won't get as much money from forcing people to go every month," Dr Marr said.
