Pharmacy confidence up
November 11, 2015
Community
pharmacy
confidence has
improved markedly
according to the
results of the
latest wave of the
UTS Community
Pharmacy
Barometer
conducted in Sep.
With a focus
on the recently
signed Sixth community pharmacy
agreement (CPA) the barometer
evaluated dispensing remuneration
changes, discount on patient
contributions, caps on services,
remuneration for service providers
and the concept of pharmacists
working in medical practices.
201 pharmacists drawn from the
IMS Health panel participated in
the survey producing a confidence
score of 93 out of 200 compared
with last year’s score of 69, possibly
due to the stabilising effect of the
Sixth Agreement.
The score was still under the
half way mark of 100 indicating a
“neutral” outlook as opposed to
an optimistic one, said Professor
Charlie Benrimoj, Head of UTS
Graduate School of Health.
This suggests pharmacists
are yet to be fully confident of
the economic and professional
implications as they transition from
a focus on margins to a service
driven paradigm, he said.
“The 6th CPA, although providing
a more stable foundation for
the industry in the area of
dispensing remuneration, will
inevitably produce much change in
community pharmacy.
“If it does not, the future of
community pharmacy as a provider
of health services will be damaged.”
Compared with the previous
two waves of 2013 and 2014,
pharmacists believe their pharmacy
value will remain the same (38%)
or increase in value (19%) - both
indicators up from earlier studies.
PSA director and expert panellist
Warwick Plunkett said “The UTS
Community Pharmacy Barometer
highlights the fact that community
pharmacist employees, community
pharmacy owners and managers,
and the pharmaceutical industry
cannot continue with the current
business and professional model.
“A number of major reforms have,
and will continue to have, impact
on the delivery, focus and funding
of health in Australia.”
The UTS Community Pharmacy
Barometer is sponsored by Bankwest.
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