Pharmacy Daily | Don’t forget pharmacists’ actions: PSA

EXTRAORDINARY efforts made by pharmacists in response to the threats posed by bushfires across the country must not be forgotten, the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) says.

PSA National President, Dr Chris Freeman, told Pharmacy Daily that numerous pharmacists had gone "above and beyond" to support their communities.

The efforts of Malua Bay pharmacist, Raj Gupta, who lost his home in the fires, but opened his pharmacy, despite not having electricity, and dispensing medications to patients in need, telling them to come back after power is restored to the town so he can ensure their prescriptions are recorded appropriately.

"What we have seen over the last few days, and in the months preceding, are pharmacists going above and beyond for their communities," Freeman said.

"The example of Raj Gupta from Malua Bay [highlighted on SBS News] is one that is replicated across the bushfire zones across Australia.

"It shows the importance of community pharmacy, of community pharmacists and how when the chips are down communities pull together to help one another.

"We have been in close contact with a number of pharmacists at the front line of the bush fire emergency, and we have been in close contact not only with the Commonwealth Minister for Health's office, the Department of Health, and over the weekend the Australian Defence Force to assist in logistical support.

"It is times like this that we see pharmacists step up time and time again, these actions won't be forgotten."

While pharmacists have been working hard to support their communities in response to the fires, Freeman said there was a need for state, territory and federal governments to take steps to investigate how they can remove barriers to emergency dispensing.

"At this time we need to focus on the immediate logistical support that pharmacists on the front line need, then we can focus on ensuring the need for adequate disaster planning involving community pharmacy, and reducing the barriers that pharmacists face in providing emergency supplies of medicines," he said.

PSA Pharmacist of the Year 2019, Peter Crothers, from Bourke, NSW, hit out at state and territory governments for failing to engage pharmacists in disaster planning.

"Community pharmacists are routinely ignored by all states' and territories' disaster planning frameworks, and yet are routinely on the front lines when it comes to actual response," he said on Twitter.

"In the Tasmanian fires GPs were helicoptered in, while pharmacists had to drive through the fire zone."

Pharmacists impacted by the bushfires can contact the Pharmacists' Support Service on 1300 244 910 between 8am and 11pm every day, or CLICK HERE to access resources designed to help deal with traumatic events.