The Pharmacy Guild of Australia’s Tasmanian Branch welcomes the expansion of Continued Dispensing being announced today which will allow pharmacists in Tasmania to help people who require a supply of their regular medication but are yet to see their GP for a new prescription.
The Guild’s Tasmanian President Helen O’Byrne applauded the State Government’s recognition that Tasmania’s highly skilled pharmacists are able to safely supply a patient’s regular medication to ensure they remain stable, and to reduce presentations to hospital emergency departments where people are seeking prescriptions or are experiencing symptoms due to not being able to access their GP.
Ms O’Byrne said, “currently there is a narrow and restrictive list of medications recognised by both the Commonwealth Government covered under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) and Tasmania’s legislation, where pharmacists may supply without a prescription.”
The current arrangement recognises a range medicines including those for contraception, asthma, cholesterol, high blood pressure and HIV.
Emergency measures put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic enabled pharmacists to supply the full range of Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) medicines to their communities as a Continued Dispensing if needed and appropriate. These Emergency Measures were ceased by the Commonwealth on 30th June 2022, reverting to only what is allowed through the Continued Dispensing Determination and State and Territory legislation.
In 2021 there were an estimated 5,400 emergency department presentations in Tasmania due to medicine non- adherence and inability to obtain prescriptions from a GP, with an estimated cost to the State of around $2.3 million.
“We recognise that telehealth may provide some people with access to their prescriptions, however many more people find it difficult to get a telehealth appointment with their regular GP”, Ms O’Byrne said. “We also believe it is better for a patient to receive Continued Dispensing from their regular pharmacist with whom they have a pre-existing relationship than from a remote clinician, who has little or no knowledge of the patient’s background.”
“Most people have a regular pharmacy they go to, so there is a lot of prescription history available to a pharmacist to make informed decisions about medication supply requests without a prescription and often the patient requesting will have their most recent expired prescription with them which also helps to ascertain the regularity of supply.”
These changes to the current State Regulations, to come into effect from Monday (6 March), mean a much wider range of medications will be available based on the Commonwealth’s existing parameters for supply, and as determined by the pharmacist for each request.
“The Guild recognises that patient safety is paramount. Pharmacists are still required to follow established guidelines and some restrictions will remain in place”, Ms O’Byrne said. “Although the expanded medication list available in Tasmania will not be covered under PBS arrangements, many are routine medications and not excessive in their cost to patients. We encourage patients to ask their pharmacist for information about their out of pocket costs.”
“We know that the Tasmanian changes will be championed by our counterparts in other States and Territories, because this is good public policy”, Ms O’Byrne said. “We urge the Commonwealth Government to reconsider their current position on Continued Dispensing and follow Tasmania’s lead to recognise the majority of items covered under the PBS and ensure equity of access for all Australians.”
Text by: Pharmacy Guild of Australia, Tasmanian Branch
