Thursday, 14 November 2024

Community pharmacists

Georgie CROZIER (Southern Metropolitan) (18:48): (1295) My adjournment matter is for the attention of the Minister for Health, and it is in relation to community pharmacists and their scope of practice. The government is conducting a pilot trial in relation to certain uncomplicated urinary tract infections and minor skin conditions, as well as the resupply of the contraceptive pill and the ability to administer travel vaccines. But in other states there are a number of other conditions that pharmacists are dealing with. The annual reports tabled today show the dire situation that our health services are in, and it is not any better out in rural and regional Victoria, where GPs are under enormous pressure, with the payroll tax going to impose another burden on our hardworking GPs, who are very fearful of their ability to conduct the work that they do in those communities. There are people in regional Victoria who have a GP in Melbourne because they cannot get access to a GP in regional areas.

I have had discussions recently with the Victorian branch of the Pharmacy Guild of Australia, who are advocating for community pharmacists to be able to treat all of the 24 everyday healthcare conditions in their full scope of practice, and the government has been provided with that list of 24 healthcare conditions. I have mentioned that Victoria is lagging behind the other states along the eastern seaboard – Queensland and New South Wales. Other healthcare professionals can provide or have the authority to diagnose, treat and prescribe in certain circumstances, such as optometrists, nurse practitioners and podiatrists. The government has expanded the scope of practice of midwives and has this week introduced legislation for paramedic practitioners, who will be able to assess, diagnose and treat many conditions on the spot without transferring patients to hospital.

As I have said, we have got a real crisis in this state when it comes to health and the ability for Victorians to access the care they need. That is why I am interested in what the pharmacy guild is advocating for. Community pharmacists have the capacity and the will to do more for patients in their local communities. They are very much part of their local communities. They are just waiting for the green light from the government to start the additional prescribing and clinical training that will enable them to deliver this care and support to their Victorian clients and patients. The action I seek is for the government to consider the expansion of community pharmacists’ scope of practice, as supported by the pharmacy guild and in line with other states, which will reduce the strain on Victoria’s health services and give greater access to treatment and care for the Victorian public.