CHF releases HMR paper
February 4, 2013
THE controversy over the Home
Medicines Review program is
continuing this week, with the
Consumers Health Forum today
releasing a consultation paper
which explores issues relating to
the uptake and sustainability of the
scheme.
The move follows last week’s calls
by the Pharmacy Guild of Australia
for a suspension of the program
due to significant cost overruns.
The CHF has analysed the funding
for the HMR program, which has
been allocated $52.11 million
under the Fifth Community
Pharmacy Agreeement.
Looking at medication errors and
the need for HMRs, the CHF paper
points out the significant impact
that the program can have on
adverse events and hospitalisation.
The CHF has staunchly rejected
the Guild call for a moratorium,
saying that it “sees no justification
for additional criteria or
restrictions, and would consider
any such measure to restrict access
to the program to be counterproductive”.
Instead the Forum argues that
any changes to the program should
aim to remove barriers to access
for high-risk consumers who would
benefit from HMRs.
Citing several “major pieces of
research” the CHF report also notes
that community pharmacy
representatives have previously
acknowledged barriers to access,
low levels of awareness of HMRs
among consumers, as well as low
rates of participation among certain
populations.
The CHF report also notes the
2010 Guild-commissioned
document Increasing Patient
Demand for HMR: A Marketing Plan
and points out that any recent
increase in uptake of the HMR
program “is positive and consistent
with previous strategies”.
According to the report the
overspend to date has amounted to
$4.2 million, largely due to a recent
spike in demand, and argues that
the HMR program should be
considered “within the broader
context of the $15.4 billion
provided to community
pharmacists under the 5CPA.”
MEANWHILE the release of the
paper this morning follows
confirmation of “urgent talks”
between the Guild and the Health
Department (PD breaking news Fri).
“The Department and the Guild
agreed that they would work
together as a matter of urgency to
find the earliest possible solution
that puts the HMR program back
on a sustainable financial footing,”
the Guild said in a statement.
“The Guild continues to believe
that a temporary pause in the HMR
program is the responsible course
of action to enable these solutions
to be expeditiously agreed and put
in place without making the current
regrettable financial situation even
worse,” the Guild added.
Other industry stakeholders have
also expressed dismay at a possible
suspension of the program,
including NAPSA and APESMA - see
other stories on this page.
The CHF consultation paper can
be viewed by clicking HERE.
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