The Hon. Shannon Fentiman MP has been appointed as Queensland’s new Minister for Health and Ambulance Services.
Pharmacy Guild of Australia, Queensland Branch President Chris Owen warmly welcomes Minister Fentiman to the new role, while also thanking the outgoing Minister Yvette D’Ath for her professionalism and determination in advancing healthcare solutions for patients.
Mr Owen says since her appointment in November 2020, Minister D’Arth has been a diligent Minister who understood the complex nature of the Health portfolio and strode to put patients first, while also embarking on a number of monumental healthcare changes.
“I’d like to thank outgoing Minister D’Ath, and the Queensland Government, for their ongoing support in making treatment for uncomplicated urinary tract infection (UTI) a permanent healthcare service for women in Queensland in October 2022,” says Mr Owen.
“With other states closely following Queensland’s lead, women can safely access critical healthcare services such as timely treatment for an uncomplicated UTI from their community pharmacist.
“We sincerely thank Minister D’Ath for remaining firm in her position of putting patients first and staring down the powerful doctor lobby groups who were constantly and ambitiously attempting to derail and undermine the pilot.
“Minister D’Ath remained steadfast and in October 2022, the Premier and Health Minister announced the implementation of the North Queensland Community Pharmacy Scope of Practice Pilot.
“Premier Palaszczuk and Minister D’Ath demonstrated great foresight and a true commitment to delivering better health services through this announcement.
“Enhancing patient care and increasing access to world-class healthcare services under the Pilot is one solution to help reduce unnecessary emergency department presentations.
“Today in North Queensland, hundreds of pharmacists are currently undergoing higher education and training under the community pharmacy scope of practice pilot, which will give patients in the north greater access to safe treatment and healthcare services for everyday health conditions from early 2024.
“On behalf of Guild members across Queensland, we welcome the appointment of Minister Fentiman to the role and we look forward to continuing to work towards a modernised public health system in the best interests of patients.
“We are committed to working with Minister Fentiman on a number of important matters including pathways for career progression for pharmacists, pharmacy business ownership rules, and expanding the opportunity for more community pharmacists across the state to practise to their full scope, to ease the burden on GPs and overstretched hospital emergency departments,” he says.
