MACHINE dispensing is a key option canvassed in the King Review of Pharmacy Remuneration and Regulation Interim Report, referencing the trialling of the concept in the UK and its use giving broader access in rural and remote regions of Canada.
Patients put their script into the machine which is linked via video to a remote pharmacist, who is able to dispense a limited range of medications via the device.
"Results from these trials have shown that these machines are a viable alternative to conventional pharmacies," the report states.
The recommendation is that the government should trial the use of machine dispensing "in a small number of relevant secure locations in communities that are not currently adequately served by community pharmacy".
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