Pharmacists given opportunity to help plan for the future

The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia has launched a major survey seeking to gather information to help PSA position the profession for the delivery of more evidence-based professional services in the future.

Chief Executive Officer of the PSA, Dr Lance Emerson, said the PSA was looking at the role of professional services in the Sixth Community Pharmacy Agreement and also in other areas such as through pharmacists working in GP practices where PSA and the Australian Medical Association are already working collaboratively.

“This survey should be of critical interest to accredited pharmacists, community and consultant pharmacists and in fact, for anyone who is interested in the future of their profession,” Dr Emerson said.

“Over the coming months PSA will be focusing on developing a sustainable 10 year blueprint for the future of pharmacists professional services.

“The profession has been largely focused on the community pharmacy agreements driving practice change, and while the CPAs are important, we need to look beyond the five-year agreements to see more evidence-based professional services delivered by pharmacists in a range of different areas through a range of different funding sources.

“The CPA is but one of these and PSA believes Australia is far from realising the full benefits of evidence-based pharmacist services

“We will be investing over the coming years in identifying and securing remuneration for a range of evidence-based pharmacist services that have been shown to improve health outcomes.”

Dr Emerson said securing this future was critical in the community pharmacy sector with profits continuing to fall due to recent price disclosure changes, as well as other business and economic pressures affecting how community pharmacies operate.

“PSA see pharmacists’ roles extending well beyond the community pharmacy sector, to services delivered in community, clinical and other settings,” Dr Emerson said.

“All pharmacists can help PSA build this future through participating in this survey.”

The survey can be accessed at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/PSAsurvey2014

Media contact:   Peter Waterman
Public Affairs Director
0419 260 827