There are calls on the Queensland Government to remove the regulatory barriers preventing pharmacists from providing a wider range of vaccination services to Queenslanders in more health settings.
Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) Queensland President, Shane MacDonald and State Manager, Nicole Floyd met with the Hon Yvette D’Ath MP, Minister for Health and Ambulance Services, advocating for the important role that pharmacists play in administering vaccines.
While Queensland pharmacists have been administering vaccines since 2014 and have become a key part of the immunisation workforce, Mr MacDonald says Queensland pharmacy “vaccination authorisation has fallen behind other states and territories”.
This, he says, has impacted “the accessibility of preventative healthcare for Queenslanders”.
“The Queensland Government needs to urgently improve the legislative authority, allowing pharmacists to administer more vaccines to more patients,” says Mr MacDonald.
“PSA believes that pharmacists have already proven themselves as quality and safe vaccinators and all of Queensland deserves immediate access to these vaccines.
“It makes no sense that a patient in Queensland cannot access a vaccine for Human Papillomavirus (HPV) from their local pharmacist, but a patient in ACT, NSW, Victoria, and Western Australia can. The same can be said for Herpes Zoster and Hepatitis B vaccines.
“Frankly the differences in authorities across jurisdictions are confusing for patients and confusing for the workforce (especially locums). If all vaccines were authorised in Queensland, pharmacists could support catch-up strategies and reduce missed opportunities for vaccinations due to their unique accessibility.
“This is particularly important post-COVID-19 due to the disruption in access to health services during the pandemic,” he says.
PSA has also called on the Queensland Government to allow community pharmacists to administer vaccines in outreach programs (such as schools, aged care, and workplaces), as well as pharmacists working in general practice, Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations and aged care.
The current authorisation for these settings is only temporary and expires on 29 April 2023.
“The location where the vaccine is administered does not alter the competency and skill of the pharmacist,” says Mr MacDonald.
“We need qualified pharmacists to be able to administer vaccines wherever there is a patient need.”
