PHARMACY staff are a priority for COVID-19 testing, the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) says, despite reports from Pharmacy Guild of Australia members that staff have been told they are not "essential workers".
Issues around delays in testing of pharmacy staff were flagged on Twitter yesterday by Guild Victorian Branch President, Anthony Tassone, who said he was "sick and tired" of pharmacy employees being told they would have to wait to be tested.
A spokesperson for the Victorian DHHS told Pharmacy Daily that it was "prioritising testing for all healthcare workers including pharmacists and their staff", to ensure continued access to critical medicines.
"We're aware of some cases where there has been some confusion from staff at testing sites, and we're working closely with them to ensure that all pharmacists and their staff receive priority testing," the spokesperson said.
Tassone told Pharmacy Daily that pharmacy staff delays in testing threatened the sector's ability to meet the needs of the community.
"The Guild has received countless examples of pharmacy staff having to wait close to a week for results across Victoria in both regional and metropolitan areas," he said.
"This causes significant pressures on an already stretched workforce on the frontline trying to deliver care to Victorians.
"At the start of the COVID pandemic - the Guild sought clarification from the Victorian government that community pharmacy staff were considered essential workers and should be given prioritisation with regards to obtaining COVID test results.
"Despite repeated assurances that this is the case from the office of Victorian Health Minister Jenny Mikakos - we receive regular reports on a weekly basis of community pharmacy staff being informed at a testing centre they're not considered an essential worker and do not qualify for prioritisation.
"The Guild and our members are fed up and this must be fixed.
"Yes the testing centres are under significant pressure, yes there are many challenges we're all facing but it's about time the Victorian government put some action behind the words.
"[There's] no dedicated financial or business support for community pharmacies unlike we've seen in: Tasmania, Western Australia and South Australia.
"No consistency with how community pharmacy staff are treated by testing centres.
"We are not just retail workers.
"We are essential primary healthcare. Fix it and fix it now."
The above article was sent to subscribers in Pharmacy Daily's issue from 06 Aug 20
To see the full newsletter, see the embedded issue below or CLICK HERE to download Pharmacy Daily from 06 Aug 20
