Political
Ozempic shortages behind diabetes patients’ funeral fundraiser
Ongoing global shortages of diabetes medication, Ozempic (semaglutide), due to off-label prescribing has prompted one patient to start a GoFundMe campaign for his funeral. Diabetes patient, Stephen Callaghan, is …
PBS designed for a bygone era
Medicare reform must not come at the expense of improving other areas of Australia’s health system, including the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), Trent Zimmerman, warns. Writing in The Guardian former …
Rural workforce woes continue
Efforts to strengthen the rural pharmacy workforce are being stymied by the immigration process, a NSW Senator claims. Plans to ease staff shortages in Australia’s regional and rural healthcare workforce …
Scope harmonisation required
State and territory governments are being urged to adopt a harmonised approach to the expansion of pharmacists’ scope of practice. With several premiers voicing their support for pharmacists to …
Expanded roles for pharmacists ‘clearly out of scope’: NACCHO
Calls for the introduction of autonomous pharmacist prescribing are “clearly out of scope” for the profession, the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) believes. NACCHO CEO, Pat Turner, said …
Health Australia’s ‘first priority issues for 2023’
Reform of Australia’s primary care system will be the nation’s top priority over the next 12 months, following Friday’s National Cabinet meeting. Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, said the Strengthening …
Medicare Taskforce wants barriers to full scope removed
Barriers preventing primary care health professionals, including pharmacists, from working to their full scope need to be removed, the Strengthening Medicare Taskforce believes. The Strengthening Medicare Taskforce Report released …
Pharmacist prescribing about patients, not turf: Guild
Calls for pharmacists to be authorised to prescribe treatments for a limited number of conditions is about meeting patient needs, not an interprofessional rivalry. Moves towards pharmacist prescribing reflect …
Turf war heats up ahead of National Cabinet meeting
Tensions between the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) and the pharmacy sector are rising over calls to expand pharmacists’ scope of practice. With NSW Premier, Dominic Perrottet, …
Labor gains lion’s share of Guild donations
New data on political donations released by the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) show the Pharmacy Guild of Australia shifted its support to Labor in 2021/22. In the lead-up to …
National Pharmacies’ staff set to vote on protected action
Professional Pharmacists Australia (PPA) will hold a protected action ballot of National Pharmacies employees after the Fair Work Commission (FWC) approved the move. Authorising the action, FWC Deputy President, …
British pharmacist prescribers dismiss Aussie GP’s jibe
Victorian GP, Dr Shiraz Mahkri’s claims that pharmacist prescribing in Australia will create a two-tier health system are being rubbished by British pharmacists. The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners …