IN A win for community pharmacy, the Queensland's Pharmacy Business Ownership Bill was successfully passed by the state's Parliament on Fri.
Chris Owen (pictured), President of the Pharmacy Guild of Australia Queensland branch, emphasised the collaborative efforts of the Queensland Government, Opposition, crossbench, and Guild members in achieving this significant milestone.
"I'd like to congratulate the government and the Parliament for passing this legislation," said Owen.
He highlighted the significance of the new bill in upholding the integrity of pharmacy business ownership laws through the establishment of a regulatory council to oversee compliance with the new Act (PD 27 Feb).
"This Bill is the culmination of an incredible amount of work between Guild members, the government, and members of the Opposition," stated Owen.
"They should all be very pleased at this fantastic outcome."
Owen underscored the importance of the Bill in ensuring transparency surrounding pharmacy business ownership, aligning Queensland with other states and territories.
"This bill will safeguard the ownership of community pharmacies in Queensland to ensure pharmacies remain in the hands of pharmacists and not in multinational companies," affirmed Owen.
Furthermore, he mentioned the positive impact of the legislation on Queensland patients and local community pharmacy services, stating, "the passage of this legislation is a win for Queensland patients and will ensure local community members are front and centre in community pharmacy". JG
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