Major PBS Shake-Ups for Community Pharmacy

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. 

"It will have a direct flow-on effect to jobs, trading hours and services pharmacies provide to the community."

However, Doctors Reform Society Spokesman, Dr Robert Marr says residents in regional communities like the Hunter should not be concerned. 

"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. 

At this stage the plan is set to go ahead in next month's budget, while many residents and pharmacists continue to rally against its introduction. 

Pharmacists say RAT tests nowhere to be seen

BY DAKOTA TAIT

Hunter pharmacists say their stock of rapid antigen tests is vanishing into thin air before it even hits the shelves.

There's some concern the tests are being stopped in Sydney for the Government stockpile.

Anthony Piggott of Piggott's Pharmacy says nine out of every ten phone calls are customers looking for RATs.

But as to the whereabouts of the missing tests, he can't get a response. 

"For example, I've ordered a semi-trailer load that arrived into Sydney ten days ago, and now it's gone missing," Mr Piggott said. 

"And no one's going to tell me where they've gone. It's just gone silent."

"I have to just keep waiting for an order that may turn up at any time."

Pharmacists say they can't secure enough tests to supply people who qualify for free RATs on concession cards, let alone the general public.

Mr Piggott says pharmacists are desperately trying, but the public needs to be patient.

"All of it is just hush-hush," Mr Piggott said. 

"It's just something that happens behind closed doors and disappears."