PSA call to be signatory to next Community Pharmacy Agreement

10 Oct, 2014

reference:http://www.psa.org.au/media-releases/psa-call-to-be-signatory-to-next-community-pharmacy-agreement

The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia, as the representative body for most Australia pharmacists, must be a signatory to the professional services part of the next Community Pharmacy Agreement (CPA), the National President of the PSA, Grant Kardachi, said today.

Speaking at the opening of PSA’s annual conference, PAC14, in Canberra, Mr Kardachi said realising the vision for the next CPA required pharmacy’s relevant professional bodies to work together.

“This will increase the chance of an evidence-informed Agreement, reduce unnecessary duplication of resources, and most importantly, will provide the profession with the best chance of successfully implementing existing and new professional practice programs, thereby delivering high quality health services to the Australian public,” he said.

“Despite PSA’s role as the peak pharmacy body, since 3CPA, PSA’s role has been acknowledged only as ‘an active participant in those areas…related to professional practice’.

“Without PSA, there is no voice for the many pharmacists employed within the community pharmacy sector, who in fact make up the largest proportion of the workforce.”

Mr Kardachi said PSA believed that if its advice and input were actively being sought to design the professional programs in 6CPA, then it was only fair and reasonable that PSA be a joint signatory to the parts of the Agreement dealing with professional programs and services.

“Signatory status would of course need to be contingent on PSA being involved in all discussions that relate to the proposed professional programs and services in 6CPA,” he said.

“Greater transparency around the design of programs, especially where collaborative services are proposed, should also be considered.

“Facilitating the engagement of consumers and other primary healthcare professionals in this process is a role that PSA could readily adopt, given its strong stakeholder relationships.

“But we must be committed to the change. Mistrust of the future often makes it hard to give up the past but we must rise above that approach and grasp the opportunities on offer.”

Media contact:   Peter Waterman
Public Affairs Director
0419 260 827