Full audit of MedsCheck program required

5 March , 2014

reference: http://www.guild.org.au/docs/default-source/public-documents/news-and-events/media-releases/2014/mr_medscheck_audit_5mar14.pdf?sfvrsn=0

Media release
Full audit
of MedsCheck program
required
The Pharmacy Guild of Australia has called on the Federal Government to undertake a full audit
of the MedsCheck program after receiving information that one pharmacy group was
allegedly
actively encouraging its pharmacies to
compete
with each other in maxi
mising their use of this
taxpayer funded program.
After similar revelations were published in Pharmacy News
last week, the Guild has been
contacted by a significant number of concerned pharmacy owners
and staff.
From 1 March, all pharmacies are being s
ubjected to a combined MedsCheck/Diabetes
MedsCheck cap of ten services per month because of a looming blowout in the budget for these
programs.
The Executive Director of the Guild, David Quilty, said:
“
Pharmacies, including some who are
being forced to put off staff, are understandably unhappy that their respo
nsible use of
MedsChecks is being curtailed, particularly if this is a result of other pharmacy groups allegedly not
abiding by the rules.
“
The revelation
in Pharmacy News recently that one pharmacy undertook over 300 MedsChecks
in a fortnight have been
met by disbelief by other pharmacy owners, given these figures are so out
of kilte
r with normal
pharmacy practice,
”
Mr Quilty said.
The Guild is passing on any written and anecdotal information it receives about alleged
questionable behaviours to the Departments of Healt
h and Human Services.
Given the information that has come to light, the Government should undertake a full audit of
any pharmacies that have been claiming an inordinately large number of MedsChecks.
There are clear eligibility criteria and requirements
for both MedsChecks and Diabetes
MedsChecks.

In terms of MedsChecks, patients must be taking five or more prescription medicines or
have had a recent significant medical event.

The MedsCheck must be undertaken face
–
to
–
face by a registered pharmacist i
n a
designated patient consultation area which is separate from the remainder of the pharmacy
to provide confidentiality.

The patient must provide their informed consent and cannot have received a range of


Importantly, the patient must receive a written Patient Report which includes their
Medicines List and a written Action Plan arising from the MedsCheck.
The vast majority of these requirements are readily able to be audited.
Any pharmacies
that are found by an audit to have not abided by the program requirements
should be required to repay the money, with any examples of fraud sent to the appropriate
authorities.
By taking firm action, the Government will send a strong signal that it is de
termined to maintain
the integrity of these important medication management programs to the benefit of patients and
the overwhelming majority of Australia’s 5,300 pharmacies who do the right thing.
Media inquiries: G
reg Turnbull 0412 910261