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Controversial pharmacy prescribing pilot begins
The program has drawn the ire of GPs who say it puts profits ahead of patient safety and further fragments care.
Last year, almost 300 North Queensland pharmacists were completing training for the pilot program.
Trained pharmacists have been handed autonomous prescribing powers for a long list of illnesses, after a contentious Queensland program officially kicked off at a press event in Cairns on Wednesday.
Announced in September last year, the expanded Queensland Community Pharmacy Scope of Practice Pilot was originally due to begin in March, but was delayed without explanation from Queensland Health until this week’s announcement.
Its commencement means pharmacists who have undergone a 12-month training course are now able to diagnose and prescribe medications for 22 conditions, including shingles, mild psoriasis, wound management, and hypertension.
It also allows participating pharmacists to offer structured prescribing as part of a chronic disease management program for a cardiovascular disease risk reduction program.
Cairns GP Dr Aileen Traves told newsGP she has long-held concerns about the program, particularly the differences in training between the community pharmacists allowed to prescribe and GPs.
‘It’s about recognising that the professions are not equivalent in terms of the degree of services that are provided to the community,’ she said.
‘There are often people who have more than one condition and when we treat a person holistically, we get the best outcomes for their care, so that’s where some of those concerns also come from.
‘I think a lot of patients probably do support this ease of access because they don’t necessarily understand the risks and severity of some of those conditions.’
The Queensland Government’s election commitment was originally intended for pharmacists practising in the state’s north but was expanded to include the entire state prior to any formal evaluation being undertaken.
To take part, participating pharmacists must have completed additional education and training, including prescribing training and clinical practice training, while a private consultation room must also be provided in the pharmacy.
Four pharmacies are so far eligible to offer the service, located in Cairns, Cannonvale, Port Douglas, and Goondiwindi.
As of September, almost 300 North Queensland pharmacists were completing the additional training.
The program has been drawn criticism from GPs since its inception, with many left angered by its expansion, which was announced six months ahead of its scheduled starting date and without any evidence of its success.
Aside from the increased potential for misdiagnosis and complication, Dr Traves remains concerned about the fragmentation of care it could create, as well as a potential lack of communication between different healthcare professionals.
‘As GPs, we don’t know where our patients have accessed care, we certainly don’t know if somebody’s changed their medications or started them on something else, so there are some concerns in terms of the communication,’ she said.
‘It’s going to be really important for patients who do access these services to make sure they notify other people that that’s what has been advised so we can make sure we don’t then lead to unintended medication errors.
‘We’d continue to urge people to see their GP if they have concerns about the advice they’re given, or if they’re not responding to the treatment that’s recommended, or if it just doesn’t seem to fit.’
Other concerns previously raised by GPs and other health organisations include, but are not limited to:
The pilot program will continue until June 2026 and then be evaluated.
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