The Queensland Government has announced that the Urinary Tract Infection Pharmacy Pilot – Queensland (UTIPP-Q) will be available to Queensland women as a permanent pharmacy service, which has been described as an advancement in women’s healthcare.
The Pharmacy Guild of Australia, Queensland Branch welcomes the announcement, with Branch President Chris Owen saying it is “unequivocal recognition of community pharmacy’s integral role in delivering valuable primary healthcare services to patients”.
“To date, over 820 Queensland community pharmacies have participated in the Program and will be pleased to continue to provide this primary healthcare service and advance women’s healthcare,” Mr Owen said.
Mr Owen says that “nearly 9000 women have accessed the UTI service since its inception”, which is evidence that this service is needed and provides positive health outcomes, particularly for women who are unable to access a GP appointment or who need urgent treatment due to the sudden onset of symptoms.
Mr Owen says that these women will now be able to “access safe, effective and convenient care” for uncomplicated UTIs at their local pharmacy.
“We know from experience, that the quicker a case of UTI is diagnosed and treated, the less likely the patient is to experience further complications that may result in hospitalisation,” he said.
Mr Owen also welcomes the release of the independent clinical review of the Pilot’s effectiveness commissioned by Queensland Health and undertaken by independent experts at the Queensland University of Technology (QUT).
“This review, now made public, has found that the service was of significant value because of improved accessibility and convenience. Patients were happy with the service, would use it again and recommend it to others,” Mr Owen said.
“The independent review also concluded that pharmacists have delivered safe and appropriate care that aligns with clinical protocols and that pharmacists have the appropriate skills, competencies and training to manage the empiric treatment of uncomplicated UTIs in the community pharmacy.
“I hope other Australian states and territories follow Queensland’s lead in recognising the scope of community pharmacists and providing the same UTI service for women,” he said.
Queensland women can visit findapharmacy.com.au/UTI to find their local community pharmacy providing the UTI service.
