New streams “essential”
July 9, 2015
The Pharmacy Guild and the
Pharmaceutical Society of Australia
have agreed to reconvene their
Joint Working Group, in order to
develop a range of proposals for
the Pharmacy Trial Program which
was approved as part of the Sixth
Community Pharmacy Agreement.
Guild executive director David
Quilty said the working group
had played a key role in securing
the large increase in funding for
professional services in the 6CPA,
which provides for as much as $650
million for these programs.
Writing in the Guild’s Forefront
newsletter, Quilty said the outcome
of the 6CPA “does not change
the fact that pharmacies must
secure new revenue streams in
order to grow and prosper” - with
the amount of funding available
sending a clear message that the
government supports a broader
role for pharmacies.
However “the Minister has
made clear this funding will not
be handed to pharmacies on a
platter...all pharmacy programs
will be independently assessed for
their cost-effectiveness,” with new
programs to be trialled first before
assessment and ultimate wider
deployment.
Quilty said a key breakthrough has
been the agreement of the majority
of state and territory governments
to pharmacists providing flu
vaccinations, but he said it will
be imperative going forward that
pharmacists have the necessary
skills, knowledge and training and
that pharmacy businesses are
appropriately accredited.
MEANWHILE the Guild has
also this week launched a new
forecasting tool, which is claimed
to “take the guesswork out of 6CPA
remuneration”.
Provided at no cost to Guild
members, the online tool allows
pharmacies to project the impact
of the 6CPA on their dispensary
remuneration over the next five
years - as well as contrasting it with
the estimated value under the Fifth
Agreement.
The above article was sent to subscribers in Pharmacy Daily's issue from 09 Jul 15To see the full newsletter, see the embedded issue below or CLICK HERE to download Pharmacy Daily from 09 Jul 15
