Advanced Pharmacy Australia (AdPha) releases its 2025 Federal Election Priorities Statement in the lead up to May election.
With the Federal Election called for Saturday 3rd May, Advanced Pharmacy Australia (AdPha) calls on the major parties to prioritise safe, timely and ready access to medicines as part of their respective election platforms.
AdPha has outlined three key priorities to deliver more equitable, efficient and quality healthcare for all Australians: expansion of the Partnered Pharmacists Medication Prescribing (PPMP) collaborative care model; establishment of bilateral Pharmaceutical Reform Agreements (PRAs) in NSW and ACT; and formation of a dedicated Medicine Shortages and Discontinuations Clinical Advice Service.
AdPha President Tom Simpson FANZCAP (Lead & Mgmt) welcomes bipartisan support for improving medicine affordability and expanded access to doctors announced in Budget 2025, while emphasising more needs to be done to ensure Australians always receive high-quality care and have access to life-saving medicines.
‘If governments genuinely want to improve medicines and healthcare access, they must harness – in full – the expertise of the hospital pharmacy workforce.
‘PPMP is a successful model that sees hospital pharmacists working collaboratively with healthcare teams; it has been proven to free up the capacity of doctors and nurses, minimise medication errors and reduce length of hospital admissions by 10%.
‘And by extending Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) prescribing to pharmacists working in these formal, credentialled collaborative prescribing arrangements, not only will more Australians spend less time in hospital, but they will get home from hospital faster and with the medicines they need.’
Mr Simpson says a nationally consistent approach to the PBS is long overdue, while a medicines shortages service would help alleviate pressure on already overstretched emergency services and hospitals.
‘We continue our call for people in NSW and the ACT to be able to leave hospital with the supply of medicines they need, without the pressure of requiring an urgent follow-up GP appointment. Without the same access to the PBS as Australians in other jurisdictions, patients will continue to be disadvantaged, and true healthcare equity cannot be achieved.
‘Medicine shortages and discontinuations remain an increasing challenge nationwide, it is past time for action. Hospital clinicians should not be forced to find workarounds on their own to manage shortages, which can lead to inconsistencies in care, potentially putting patient safety and treatment continuity at risk.
‘A centralised advisory service would provide real-time guidance on safe and effective alternatives, ensuring uninterrupted care, strengthening supply chain resilience, and reducing the need for hospitals to allocate full-time staff to managing shortages.
‘As May approaches, we call on all major parties to build on their progress and embrace the solutions proposed by the hospital pharmacy profession.
‘Medicines are our most common health intervention, a bedrock of preventative health care and crucial to optimal care outcomes. If all parties prioritise an evidence-based approach to policy and practice, Australia can achieve one of the world’s strongest, most sustainable and most resilient healthcare systems.’
