PHARMACISTS are being urged to embrace their role in the COVID-19 vaccination (COVAX) rollout to support the Pharmacy Guild of Australia in pushing for better remuneration.
Speaking during a webinar earlier this week, Guild National President, Trent Twomey, said that while fees for pharmacists administering two doses of the vaccine remain unchanged ($42 for pharmacies in metropolitan areas, and $48 for those zones classified as Modified Monash Model two or higher; GPs can earn close to $75 for the same service), the organisation will continue to fight for more equitable pay (PD 01 Feb).
"It is not right that another professional does the same job and gets paid twice the amount we do," Twomey said.
"The Guild does subscribe to the notion that if you're doing the same job you deserve the same pay, and I promise you we are continuing to agitate for that in the background.
"What I need you to do is grasp this challenge with both hands.
"Run with it and prove to the Commonwealth that we are a reliable partner in vaccine preventable diseases, and they will have no choice but to acknowledge the value of our network and meet us with better remuneration."
Pharmacist-turned-politician and Federal Shadow Minister for Mental Health, Emma McBride, has previously raised the disparity in remuneration between GPs and pharmacists, in the House of Representatives (PD 05 Feb).
McBride told the House that, "GPs are concerned around the level of remuneration, and intuitively, pharmacists are concerned as well, particularly given that they must adhere to the same criteria and as it stands currently, for less remuneration".
The above article was sent to subscribers in Pharmacy Daily's issue from 30 Jul 21
To see the full newsletter, see the embedded issue below or CLICK HERE to download Pharmacy Daily from 30 Jul 21
