IF RE-ELECTED, ACT Labor has pledged to expand pharmacists' roles, allowing them to treat common conditions like earaches, acne, nausea, and reflux at community pharmacies.
The Pharmacy Guild of Australia's ACT Branch welcomed this commitment, which would align the Territory with recent changes in New South Wales, granting Canberrans greater access to healthcare for acute and chronic conditions.
ACT branch President Simon Blacker, alongside Chief Minister Andrew Barr and Health spokesperson Rachel Stephen-Smith, made the announcement at TerryWhite Chemmart Compounding in Ainslie yesterday.
"With one in 10 Canberrans waiting over three weeks for a GP appointment and emergency departments overwhelmed, expanding pharmacists' scope of practice is crucial," Blacker said.
He added that 93% of Canberrans support pharmacists working to their full capacity.
Labor's plan would also enable pharmacists to administer vaccines for all ages and participate in expanded healthcare services, helping to ease the pressure on the ACT health system and improve patient outcomes.
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