New NZ model under spotlight at PAC12

Reference: http://www.psa.org.au/archives/13882

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20 August 2012

PAC12 will bring Australian pharmacists up to date with the new model for pharmacy in New Zealand which will see pharmacists paid to manage patients on chronic therapies, but lose their $5.30 dispensing fee. 

The NZ Government has reported that all the country’s 947 pharmacists have signed up to the controversial three-year agreement. From July 1, NZ community pharmacy began the three-year transitional Pharmacy Services Agreement which enables pharmacy to make better use of their clinical skills and expertise within the primary health-care team. The deal is aimed at moving pharmacy from being paid solely by a medicine dispensing fee, to a patient-focused payment model, but all pharmacists have been guaranteed their prior year revenue plus a small increase. 

The new Agreement rewards pharmacists for providing support and advice so patients can better manage their medicines and medical conditions. This will benefit patients, especially those approximately 200,000 New Zealanders with long- term conditions. 

On Sunday, October 21, at PAC12, the Business and management session: Viability and sustainability in pharmacy will include a presentation by NZ guest speaker David Mitchell who will speak on the new funding model for dispensing in New Zealand.    Other speakers in the session will be pharmacy management authority Bruce Annabel who will present on viability of Australian pharmacies and Dr Keith Ridge, Chief Pharmaceutical Officer of England, speaking on the viability of professional services in the UK. 

The session will be one of the many at PAC12 which will provide delegates with the opportunity to broaden their skills and learn from national and international researchers and practitioners about developments that will help shape the future of pharmacy. 

Under the theme of From Vision to Reality the Congress will look to the future of pharmacy as this relies upon the profession’s ability to discover new practice knowledge, develop new skills and systems to improve practice, and to diversify into new practice areas to improve the health and wellbeing of the population. 

PAC 12 will continue the Congress’s tradition of providing a topical and comprehensive program covering a wide range of therapeutics, management and practice subjects which will increase delegates’ specific knowledge, attitudes, skills and behaviours in support of their expanding roles as pivotal professionals in the multi-disciplinary health-care model towards which Australia is rapidly moving.  

The PAC12 program now includes the annual AACP Clinical Forum which has been incorporated as an important part of the clinical stream of the Congress and is open to pharmacists wanting to advance their clinical skills.  In addition, the program features the now hugely popular Great Debate and the PSANational Forum. The Congress will be held at the Melbourne Exhibition and Convention Centre from Friday 19 October 2012 to Sunday 21 October 2012. Full program information, CPD allocation and online registration is available at www.psa.org.au/pac

 ENDS

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