Pharmacy Daily | CHF demands 7CPA seat

THE Consumers Health Forum (CHF) has issued a formal position statement on the Seventh Community Pharmacy Agreement (7CPA), saying it should be a signatory to the pact.

"The agreement should involve all key stakeholders, including consumers, as recognised parties to the National Medicines Policy on behalf of the Australian people.

"Consumers typically have more contact with pharmacists than with any other health professional, and should have more say in the funding and design of pharmacy services," according to CHF CEO, Leanne Wells.

Releasing the statement, the Forum has also made a number of recommendations about the 7CPA, including urging the Government to ease dispensing restrictions and permit consumers to get two months' supply for each dispensing of a range of commonly prescribed medicines.

"Removing this often unnecessary restriction - unless prescribed otherwise by the doctor - would improve accessibility, convenience and affordability for consumers on routine medication who currently have to go back to the pharmacy every month for no good reason."

Wells said the issue of two month dispensing was an example of the need for reform in pharmacy regulation and financing.

"Community pharmacy is largely funded and governed through an agreement worth billions of dollars covering consumer-related services, yet consumers have little say in it."

Other recommendations made by the CHF include splitting the agreement into two parts - one covering pharmacy remuneration, and the other relating to professional services, to strengthen the consumer focus on services and invest in innovation in pharmacy service delivery.

The Forum is also urging "innovation to remove regulatory barriers such as anti-competitive location and ownership rules which stifle competition," as well as regulatory change which would help deal with innovations such as e-prescriptions and pharmacy vending machines.

CHF's manifesto also urges increased transparency, to give consumers more timely information on prices and medicine information at the point of dispensing.