‘A cynical ploy’: RACGP President slams pharmacy coronavirus push

A cynical ploy that could cause tremendous harm.
 
That is how RACGP President Dr Harry Nespolon describes calls from the Pharmacy Guild to give more power to pharmacists during the coronavirus crisis.
 
Dr Nespolon is clear in his response to reports the Guild has seized on the coronavirus outbreak to take on more tasks traditionally done by GPs.
 
‘This is a cynical ploy from the Pharmacy Guild to exploit COVID-19 to achieve long sought-after changes that will hand greater power to retail pharmacies,’ he said.
 
‘It is yet another example of the pharmacy sector trying to place financial gains ahead of patient care and safety.
 
‘Ensuring a patient’s continuity of care with their GP is vital. We don't just hand out medicines, we talk to our patients about preventive care, provide a check-up and carefully record their medical history.’

As reported in Nine Newspapers, Pharmacy Guild Vice President Trent Twomey has described the coronavirus outbreak as ‘a good catalyst’ for discussions around expanding the role of pharmacists.
 
The Guild is calling for pharmacists to be able to dispense common medication without a prescription.
 
‘The last thing you want to do in a pandemic is create a cluster where sick people congregate with people with the virus,’ Mr Twomey told Nine.
 
‘Frankly, state and federal governments can’t afford not to utilise the pharmacy workforce.’
 
But Dr Nespolon attacked the push as one that could cause major harm. 
 
He said the planned trial in Queensland permitting pharmacists to prescribe antibiotics for urinary tract infections is a strong example of the risks.
 
‘[The trial] is a recipe for disaster because one of the greatest challenges our healthcare system faces is antimicrobial resistance caused by the misuse and over-use of antibiotics,’ Dr Nespolon said.
 
‘We are already seeing increasing resistance to antibiotics in urinary tract infections, so handing pharmacists these prescription powers is bad news for public health and safety.’


RACGP President Dr Harry Nespolon has slammed the latest Guild push.

The RACGP President said that there are other avenues available to fight coronavirus.
 
‘If the Pharmacy Guild was serious about helping Australians during a pandemic, they would stop their opposition to an easing of dispensing restrictions,’ he said. ‘This would enable people to access two-month supplies of commonly prescribed medicines.
 
‘Unwell patients do not want to have to visit a pharmacy, where they will be surrounded by other unwell patients, more often than is absolutely necessary.
 
‘Perhaps it’s time that we look to the “Amazon model” of allowing delivery [of medications] to a patient’s home, again significantly decreasing the risk of exposure.’
 
The RACGP’s response is mirrored by Australian Medical Association President Dr Tony Bartone, who told Nine he is ‘really troubled by the Pharmacy Guild trying to expand the scope of their business’.
 
Dr Nespolon’s response follows renewed efforts by the Guild to move into medical areas of practice over the last few years.
 
In the wake of Guild lobbying, an increasing number of states and territories have been permitting pharmacists to offer vaccinations.
 
The most recent has been Queensland’s decision to allow pharmacists to deliver common travel vaccinations and to allow them to give the flu vaccine to children as young as 10.
 
Victoria is also permitting pharmacists to give flu vaccines to 10-year-olds.
 
The Guild is also pushing for autonomous pharmacist prescribing, though the Pharmacy Board of Australia last year all but ruled that out in a position statement.
 
The Pharmacy Board did, however, clear the way for collaborative prescribing undertaken alongside medical professionals, and structured prescribing with limited authorisation.
 
In response, the RACGP has consistently argued that:

• pharmacists are not medically trained and are not a substitute for GPs
• it is not appropriate to conduct sensitive health consultations in a busy retail pharmacy setting, where other customers may overhear private health conversations
• retail pharmacies have financial and commercial conflicts of interest between prescribing and selling medications and services which are best for the patient or best for their business.

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