Political
Emergency meds access ‘needs to be simplified’
Measures enabling pharmacists to provide emergency supplies of subsidised medicines under continued dispensing need to be revised, pharmacy bodies say Pharmacy organisations are calling for the restoration of Covid-19-era continued …
Independent backs expanded prac payments
Healthcare students get political support for campaign to extend the Commonwealth Prac Payment program to all undertaking mandatory placements Nurse and midwife-turned federal MP, Dr Helen Haines, is joining health …
Long-term investment in workforce needed
Government urged to invest in healthcare students to shore up future workforce Pharmacy students should not be forced to choose between their career or covering their rent, Sebastian Harper, the …
Co-pay cut delivers $566m in savings
Patients reaping benefits of PBS general co-payment reduction, senators told Labor’s decision to cut the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) general co-payment from 1 January 2023 is delivering significant savings for …
Wholesaler deal to curb ‘toilet roll problem’
Australia’s First Pharmaceutical Wholesaler Agreement will deliver equity of access to medicines when “supply becomes time”, Senators told Measures included in the First Pharmaceutical Wholesaler Agreement are expected to ensure …
No healthcare without health workers
Health students make plea for expansion of Commonwealth Prac Payments as politicians pledge billions in Medicare funding Multi-billion-dollar funding announcements to strengthen Medicare need to come with cost of living support …
Shortages leave palliative patients in pain
“Patients are suffering unnecessarily”, because the medications that typically control their symptoms are either unavailable or prohibitively expensive, Palliative Care Australia says Palliative Care Australia is calling on the government …
Patient information continuity one step closer
A newly passed Bill will help reduce medicines-related hospitalisations and harm, pharmacists say Last week (12 February 2025) the Senate passed the Health Legislation Amendment (Modernising My Health Record – …
‘Without the right investment, these pressures will only increase’
WA Liberals pledge to allow community pharmacies to dispense specialist medications currently only affordable through hospitals WA Liberal Leader and Shadow Health Minister Libby Mettam was in Kalamunda to announce …
Equity required for proposed rural loadings
Calls for additional funding for rural pharmacies are being welcomed, but the proposed model needs refining, remote pharmacists say Funding proposals aimed at addressing challenges rural pharmacies face in delivering …
Fund pharmacists to ‘unleash potential’
Government urged to back scope of practice expansion ahead of Federal Budget Treasurer Dr Jim Chalmers is being urged to support efforts to “unleash” pharmacists’ potentials in the upcoming Federal …
‘Medication shortages don’t just cause inconvenience’
Government lacks a comprehensive strategy to address medicines shortages, crossbench MP warns Fresh efforts to combat medicine shortages are being described as “a minimal increase in our degree of preparedness …