Or so says Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff, who is eyeing an expansion of pharmacist-led prescribing if re-elected.
Yet another state is looking at expanding pharmacist-led prescribing powers to include reflux, rhinitis and wound care, in a move that the premier says will result in “fewer trips to the GP”.
The Tasmanian Liberals are promising not only a broad expansion of pharmacy scope of practice if returned to government next month, but also additional funding to support pharmacies to extend operating hours.
This promise comes less than a month after the state passed legislation making pharmacist-led prescribing permanent.
Currently, pharmacist prescribing in the island state is limited to antibiotics for suspected urinary tract infections and extended supply of the oral contraceptive pill.
Under the Tasmanian Liberals’ pledge, this would be expanded to include all the conditions currently treatable by pharmacists under the North Queensland Pharmacy Scope of Practice Pilot.
These include but are not limited to: asthma, reflux, shingles, eczema, rhinitis, mild to moderate acne, wound care and COPD.
Pharmacists in the Northern Territory also work at this scope.
“This will free up thousands more GP appointments, reduce pressure on our emergency departments and save Tasmanian families time and money,” Tasmanian premier Jeremy Rockliff said.
The Medical Republic asked the Tasmanian Liberals for any modelling they may have done which would indicate that the policy would take pressure off GPs.
The party did not respond before deadline.
Given that the model is set to mirror that of Queensland, where pharmacist-led prescribing for a range of conditions has been in place for over 12 months, TMR spoke to AMA Queenland president Dr Nick Yim.
“We are seeing no evidence that alternative models of care, such as pharmacy prescribing or urgent care clinics, are reducing GP visits or emergency presentations, nor has the government released any data to suggest this,” he said.
Even if GP presentations were decreasing, Dr Yim pointed out, it would not necessarily be a positive sign; patients are likely still seeking care, he said, just at a more advanced stage in their illness.
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“We acknowledge that access can be challenging in some areas and understand the convenience of some models of care, but remain concerned about patient safety,” he said.
“Grounded in holistic care, doctors are also trained to make incidental diagnoses such as spotting a melanoma while examining your ear for what turns out not to be an ear infection, but something else entirely.”
His concerns were echoed by ACRRM president Dr Rod Martin, who told TMR he had heard anecdotal evidence to suggest that patients were receiving delayed diagnoses due to pharmacist misdiagnosis.
“All that governments seem to be focused on is access,” Dr Martin said.
“They want to satisfy an electorate need for patients to have completely free and easy access to some sort of clinical care, irrespective of what the quality or the safety is.”
Mr Rockliff’s government has already committed $5 million to help pharmacists achieve full scope of practice credentials.
Pharmacy Guild of Australia Tasmanian branch senior vice president Helen O’Byrne said residents of the apple isle “deserve access to the full range of services available in other jurisdictions”.
“Patients in the community don’t always need care in convenient business hours, so support for key primary health providers to open for longer and deliver more access can only be positive,” she said.
The additional funding for extended hours will work on a grant basis.
AMA Tasmania was not impressed.
“Pharmacists are not doctors,” it said.
“They should not be diagnosing conditions, which can look superficial but instead be a pointer to something more serious that requires years of study and practice to understand.”
Allowing pharmacists to prescribe, the AMA branch said, amounted to crossing a line that could potentially harm patient safety.
“We want collaboration with health professionals whether they be pharmacists, nurse practitioners or other roles,” AMA Tasmania said.
“But that requires funding.
“When pharmacists work with doctors, that builds in additional safety which we recognise and value.
“We want to increase access to general practice, but that requires funding.
“The money is there, it keeps being directed to pharmacy over and above general practice.”
