Pharmacy Daily | Tas palliative care program launched

EIGHTY-THREE pharmacies have signed up to ensure palliative care patients in Tas who choose to stay at home can readily access end-of life medications from their local community pharmacy as needed, with more to come on board.

Announced by the state's Health Minister Guy Barnett in Launceston yesterday, the Community Pharmacy in Palliative Care Tasmania (ComPPaCT) program supports community pharmacies to continuously stock essential palliative care medicines.

Pharmacies that sign up will be identified on the Guild's 'Find a Pharmacy' website and will display a ComPPaCT window decal.

Fully funded CPD accredited training for pharmacists around palliative care and the core medicines is being developed by the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) and Primary Health and will be rolled out over the coming months.

PSA Tasmanian branch President David Peachey said the joint approach demonstrated a commitment to improving palliative care for all Tasmanians.

"Timely access to essential medicines is essential to a quality end-of-life journey for patients and their families," Peachey said.

Palliative medications are needed within hours, not days, which is why it is so important that they are easily accessible to all within the community, he explained.

"Having more Tasmanian pharmacists educated and trained to supply palliative medicines means that we can make their safe and quality use more accessible to more people at the end of their lives," commented Peachey.

Guild's Tasmanian Branch President Helen O'Byrne said that many terminally ill people want to remain at home for end-of-life care.

"To be able to remain in their own home and not have to be admitted to hospital or go into hospice care, patients must be able to access the palliative care medicines they need from their local community pharmacy," O'Byrne added.

PSA National President Dr Fei Sim also welcomed the move, remarking, "pharmacists will increase collaboration and coordination of local palliative care services, reducing unnecessary hospital presentations".

"We look forward to evolving the support for pharmacists within the palliative care team as part of the ComPPaCT initiative," Sim said. JG