PHARMACISTS should be engaged in the delivery of mental health care to improve medication safety, the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) believes.
PSA National President, Dr Chris Freeman, hit out at the Productivity Commission's (PC) failure to address the issue of medication safety and the role of pharmacists in its Draft Report on Mental Health.
"Medicines are a major treatment modality in most mental illnesses so it is disappointing the PC report failed to question how we can improve medication efficacy and safety," he said.
"Utilising the medicine expertise of pharmacists in the multidisciplinary care team, tailoring medication therapies and reviewing patients' medication management can positively impact adherence, effectiveness of medicines prescribed and safe use of medicines.
"Access to health care is vital for people dealing with mental health illness, yet there are a range of barriers that can limit people's access to a general practitioner."
Freeman said research published last year showed pharmacists regularly engaged with patients at risk of suicide, with one in 10 pharmacists saying they interacted with an "at risk" patient 10 or more times a year.
"Enabling pharmacists to recognise potential signs and symptoms of mental ill-health, support patients and refer on to GPs or emergency care, has the potential to not only improve outcomes, but potentially save lives," he said.
"We have called on governments across the nation to provide funding to increase pharmacist mental health first aid training and reiterated this recommendation in our response to the Productivity Commission.
"PSA does not believe we can address mental health challenges without considering quality use of medicines (QUM) and hopes the PC's final report will tackle this vital issue."
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