V

o
l
u
m
e

3
6

N
o
v
e
m
b
e
r

2
0
1
2
2
2
0
1
PHARMACY REVIEW
OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE PHARMACY GUILD OF AUSTRALIA
Next
PHARMACY REVIEW
OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE PHARMACY GUILD OF AUSTRALIA
Previous Next
8
PHARMACY REVIEW2012
PHARMACYREVIEW
is published annually by
the Pharmacy Guild of Australia
National Secretariat
Level 2
15 National Circuit
BARTON ACT 2600
Telephone: 02 6270 1888
Facsimile: 02 6270 1800

Editor: Diana ONeil
Editorial content does not necessarily
reect ocial policy of the Guild.
ISSN 01314-6316
National President
Kos Sclavos
National Vice Presidents
Si Banks Terry Battalis
John Dowling Amanda Galbraith
TimLogan Lenette Mullen
George Tambassis Ian Todd
National Councillors
Harvey Cuthill Peter McBeath
Nick Panayiaris Toni Riley
Dipak Sanghvi Paul Sinclair
Trent Twomey Harry Zafer
National Secretariat
Executive Director Wendy Phillips
Business Development and eHealth
Director Patrick Reid
Communications
Director Greg Turnbull
Community Pharmacy Agreement
Programs
Director Fiona Mitchell
Corporate Services
Director John Taylor
Policy and Regulatory Aairs
Director Ann Dalton
Guild Pharmacy Academy
Director Anthony Tassone
Health Economics
Director Stephen Armstrong
Quality Assurance and Standards
Director Andrew Matthews
Table of Contents
National President 6
David Quilty 9
Executive Director 10
Event news 12
Rural and Indigenous 16, 31
Pharmacy Health Checks Deliver 17
Palliative Care 18
Diabetes 19
Business 21
Pharmacy Practice Incentives 23
Pharmacy Assistant of the Year 2012 25
Quality Accreditation 27
Price Disclosure 28
Information and Care 32
Research 33
OTC Medicines 34
Medicare Locals 36
Retail Leasing 38
Leaders and Owners 39
New Directors 41
MedsCheck 43
Coughs and Colds 45
Home Medicines Review 46
Front cover
Mid-20th century reproduction
of early 16th century Italian
Duraso Syrup Jug.
The word Sy d'artemesia written
across its face translates to
'Syrup of Mugwort'.
This piece is part of the Pharmacy
Guild of Australia's collection on
display at the National Secretariat,
Canberra
Thank you to Ralph Tapping,
pharmacist and Curator of the
PDL Collection of Historic
Pharmacy Artefacts.
Next
T
a
b
l
e

o
f

C
o
n
t
e
n
t
s
Previous
10
PHARMACY REVIEW2012
9
PHARMACY REVIEW2012
N
a
t
i
o
n
a
l

P
r
e
s
i
d
e
n
t
Community pharmacies
play an increasingly
important role as health
care hubsthe central
point of advice and
information about the
full range of health
care issues.
Kos says . . .
There is no doubt 2012 will go
down as the year of outstanding
achievement in professional
programs in community pharmacy
despite extensive challenges being
faced by our sector. There has been
outstanding uptake of the new
professional programs and striking
documented results to match. This
success has been no uke with the
Guild implementing a national
strategy to overlap the Fifth
Community Pharmacy
Agreement (5CPA).
It is one thing to plan but it is
another to implement. The Federal
government itself has had a dicult
year implementing in health as can be
seen by its ambitious eHealth agenda.
There are elements of the 5CPA that
required work from State and Territory
governments and they have not been
delivered on time.
In contrast to this, key Agreement
elements including new professional
programs have been delivered on
time. Of great pride is the fact that we
have launched new clinical pharmacy
programs, MedsCheck and Diabetes
MedsCheck, and enrolment has
exceeded expectations. This success
has meant that for the second year in
a row all funding in the Agreement
has been allocated.
Patients Trust Pharmacists
Our profession is often its own worst
critic but we should be judged on
what our patients think of us. With
that in mind I was delighted in May
to see the latest Roy Morgan
Research Image of Professions
survey provides a well-earned
pat on the back for community
pharmacists. Pharmacists
maintained their position at second
on the list of 30 professions in the
survey of Australians aged over 14.
Pharmacists held second spot with a
score of 88 per cent, which relates to
the number of respondents ranking
them very high or high for ethics
and honesty.
This was up 1 per cent from the
previous poll. Nurses maintained their
coveted and long-standing position at
the top of the list with 90 per cent.
Of the 30 professions ranked this year,
a majority (18 professions) declined,
while six increased and the other six
were unchanged. Other professions
that also gained high ratings for ethics
and honesty included doctors (83
per cent, down 4 per cent), school
teachers (76 per cent, unchanged),
dentists (75 per cent, down 1 per
cent), engineers (70 per cent, down
1 per cent), High Court judges (70
per cent, down 5 per cent), State
Supreme Court judges (69 per cent,
down 6 per cent) and police (69 per
cent, unchanged). By the way, public
opinion pollsters came in 16th (28
per cent) and journalists 24th (12 per
cent)!
The Roadmap
The Guilds strategic direction for
community pharmacy is a key driver
of activity, and the Roadmap (www.
guild.org.au/roadmap) now comprises
forty-ve Program Development
Templates. They detail current and
anticipated community pharmacy
programs and services, and the
practical means for implementing
them at a national level. The Roadmap
is the culmination of many months
of hard work, with the specic goal
of producing a document that would
be a meaningful, practical point of
reference to anyone involved in, or
with an interest in, the community
pharmacy sector.
N
a
t
i
o
n
a
l

P
r
e
s
i
d
e
n
t
Electronic prescriptions
As the eHealth momentum
continued to build across
Australia, the team at Fred IT
Group played a vital part in the
development and operation
of eRx Script Exchange and
the MedView Medications
Repository, ensuring community
pharmacy remains at the
forefront of innovation.
eRx continues to go from
strength to strength as the
leading electronic prescription
exchange in Australia. With
over 3,000 pharmacies and
13,000 GPs having used eRx to
generate more than 3.5 million
ePrescription records per week,
I continue to encourage all
pharmacies to get involved. eRx
continues to help deliver better
health outcomes for our patients
as well as allowing pharmacists
to spend more valuable time
with them.
The consolidation of medicines
information, providing faster,
more complete and clinically vital
patient medications histories, has
also become a reality. Through
Freds Commonwealth-funded
MedView trial in Geelong,
medications informationfor
consenting patients from
community pharmacies, GPs,
Geelong Hospital and Aged
Care facilitiescan now be
utilised by authorised health
practitioners to deliver improved
health outcomes. Fred has
been contracted to build this
exciting development into the
Commonwealths Personally
Controlled Electronic Health
Record, so again I implore
pharmacists to get involved as
the opportunity arises.
QCPP
No one would have predicted that
we would now have 4,736, or nearly
91 per cent of pharmacies, accredited
under the Quality Care Pharmacy
Program. This is an outstanding result
which opened opportunities for these
pharmacies to participate in Pharmacy
Practice Incentive (PPIs) Program
in the Fifth Community Pharmacy
Agreement. Under this program
and Guild developed software,
GuildCare, we see the average
pharmacy recording over sixty clinical
interventions a month. A stunning
2 million health records have now
been recorded, demonstrating the
value that community pharmacy
brings to the health care system.
What a Year for GuildCare!
When we launched GuildCare in 2011,
I would never have thought that we
would reach over 2 million completed
professional services cases in 15
months. Since its launch, GuildCare
has continually expanded its oering
having added two new programs to
their Primary Package (INR and Lipid
recording), further enhancing our
Private Service oering. With plans to
add more to the Private Services later
this year, look out for information on
the launch of these programs.
Recently GuildCare added MedsCheck
Services and Home Medicines Review
programs, with over 85 per cent
of GuildCare subscribers adding
the MedsCheck Services module,
which is great news. In addition,
GuildCare have also expanded
their range of New to Therapy and
Compliance programs with the
addition of Micardis/Twynsta, which
were recently launched on its own
platform. GuildCare pride themselves
as the one tool pharmacists can trust
to meet their entire professional
program needs.
Academy
In other great news from the Guild
Pharmacy Academy, the Pharmacy
Guilds own CPD repository, myCPD,
now has over 7000 registered users
accessing a wide range of online CPD
courses including: new drug briefs,
complementary medicine refreshers
and business management e-learning
modules. The Guild Pharmacy
Academy also released two CPD
accredited online modules covering
the MedsCheck program which
were accessed by a whopping 300
pharmacists in the rst week alone.
A Diabetes MedsCheck module
proudly supported by Roche will be
available in November 2012.
The myCPD platform now has a new
look and feel with a streamlined
process, and so is much easier to use.
Pharmacists have reported that they
like how easy it is to track their CPD
credits and to achieve CPD online and
from attendance of Guild events so
stay tuned and be sure to visit
www.mycpd.org.au
The Guild Intern Training Program
(ITP) continues to grow from strength
to strength, now being oered in
Queensland, Tasmania, New South
Wales and most recently Western
Australia. Enrolment numbers
are growing each intake as Guild
members recognise that the
Guild ITP helps train interns to be
employment ready with a focus on
5CPA professional programs, and
the needs of Guild members and
community pharmacy owners. If you
have an intern at your pharmacy and
are located in NSW, Queensland, WA
or Tasmania, and would like to nd
out more contact your local branch or
visit www.guild.org.au/academy
and click on Intern Training Program.
Next Previous
Continued
Previous
12
PHARMACY REVIEW2012
11
PHARMACY REVIEW2012
N
a
t
i
o
n
a
l

P
r
e
s
i
d
e
n
t
Rural Pharmacy Services
The Pharmacy Guilds Community
Pharmacies for Rural and Indigenous
Australia (CPRIA) recently met to
progress its ambitious agendato
build on the long history of the Guild
in advocating and supporting access
to health services in rural and remote
Australia. The committee has changed
its name from the Rural Remote
and Indigenous Special Interest
Group to CPRIA to better reect the
Pharmacy Guilds focus in the area of
health policy and advocacy for rural
and Indigenous Australia through
the infrastructure of community
pharmacy.
Joint Forumin March
A continuing robust partnership
between the National Aboriginal
Community Controlled Health
Organisation (NACCHO) and the
Pharmacy Guild of Australia has seen
vast improvements in Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islanders getting
the prescription medicines they
need, along with tailored advice and
assistance. A national joint QUMAX
and S100 forum in Melbourne in
March was attend by more than 250
delegates and they discussed the
need to integrate three vital programs
that support medicines access and
quality use of medicines for the
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
population.
NDSS
There are always issues that crop up
that are a drain on resources. Before
Christmas, members of the Guild were
informed that the revised version
of the Access Point Agreement
negotiated between the Guild and
Diabetes Australia (DA) addressed
the major concerns of the Guild. The
variations sought by the Guild were
intended to make the arrangements
more workable so that community
pharmacies could get on with
providing NDSS services to the public.
April 2012 Price Reductions
All these successful outcomes
mentioned above are against a very
dicult scal environment. On 1 April
we saw massive price reductions
the largest set of PBS price reductions
in the history of the scheme. The
outcome of this is that we have
seen a $5 drop in the average cost
of prescriptionsfalling from just
over $44 to just over $39. This is a
really signicant fall, underlining the
ongoing sustainability of the PBS.
Just when we thought wed seen
enough of price cuts, in August the
news came of a voluntary 25 per
cent price reduction for atorvastatin
and this will add to the strain on
community pharmacy businesses
from 1 December. The government
has received a price reduction oer
of 25 per cent on atorvastatin, from
an undisclosed sponsor company.
The price reduction will also aect
rosuvastatin. The foreshadowed price
cut for rosuvastatin is 20.81 per cent
from 1 December.
Workforce
There are other issues that concern
the profession. A primary issue
for many is the oversupply of
pharmacists caused by the large
increase in graduates each year.
This is an issue that must be
addressed by the profession
collectively in 2013.
Guilds National Conference APP
The Australian Pharmacy Professional
(APP) conference on the Gold Coast
was a marvellous success, with over
4,000 registrants, compelling speakers,
and a vibrant trade exhibition.
The opportunities for networking
were unsurpassed, along with
signicant CPD benets. One of
the highlights at APP this year was
the inaugural Alan Russell Oration,
delivered by the chief executive of the
United Kingdoms National Pharmacy
Association, Michael Holden. Mr
Holden spoke on the British Healthy
Living Pharmacy Initiative.
A political highlight of the four
day conference was, of course, the
attendance and address by the
Federal Minister for Health, Tanya
Plibersek. She presented the QCPP
Pharmacy of the Year Award to Scott
McCahon from Cape York Guardian
Pharmacy in Queensland. An
inspirational winner indeed.
We particularly welcomed the
Ministers conrmation that the
Government would not support
a Senate Inquiry into the Fifth
Community Pharmacy Agreement, as
proposed by the Australian Greens.
Patient Support
I would like to nish on the positive and thank community pharmacy for the
outstanding work done in 2012 in assisting patient support groups. Community
pharmacies play an increasingly important role as health care hubsthe central
point for advice and information about the full range of health care issues. For
this reason, pharmacies are often prominent in the minds of people across
the broader health industry, especially those working in community-based
health and disease state organisations, who want to communicate with their
constituencies, and in many cases raise awareness among the general public
about important health issues and the need for increased Government attention
and funding. The Guild maintains excellent relations with a vast number of
organisations in the sector, and we do what we can to help them in their various
missions and projects. That work would not be possible without the community
pharmacy network playing its role and I want to thank the profession for
their support.
W
e
l
c
o
m
e

D
a
v
i
d

Q
u
i
l
t
y
Pharmacy Guild welcomes David Quilty
Farewell Wendy and welcome
to David
The Executive Director of the
Pharmacy Guild of Australia, Wendy
Phillips, is to retire from the position
on 1 December 2012, after twenty
years with the Guild.
Wendy Phillips joined the Guilds
National Secretariat in 1992 as the
Director of its Strategic Policy Division
and in 2006 was promoted to the
newly created position of Deputy
Executive Director. She became
Executive Director in 2008.
Wendy Phillips has made an
outstanding contribution to the Guild
and to community pharmacy over
many years, and is recognised as a
committed, eective and inuential
leader. She will be leaving with the
heartfelt thanks and best wishes of
the National Council, the Guild and
our industry.
She has overseen the development
of many major Guild policies, which
have been aimed at increasing the
recognition of the health care role
of pharmacists and the value of
the current network of community
pharmacies. Wendys extensive
knowledge of the Guilds corporate
history, as well as her strategic
thinking and unerring good grace will
be missed by all.
I thank her for her commitment
and friendship.
Im delighted to welcome our
new Executive Director, David Quilty.
David will enjoy working with our
committed team.
I thank our sta for their
contribution to our
success in 2012.
In consultation with Wendy Phillips, the National Council of the Guild
undertook a search for an appropriate appointee to the important
position of Executive Director. The Guild recently announced that
that person is David Quilty, a well-respected former senior executive
at Telstra, and an experienced Federal Ministerial Chief of Sta.
David Quilty is a highly-regarded strategic adviser and corporate
aairs professional who has served with distinction at the highest
levels of business and Government for nearly two decades. He
is also a former Group Managing Director of Public Policy and
Communications at Telstra.
At Telstra he was responsible for developing and implementing
a Board-approved whole-of-company corporate citizenship
and community engagement strategy for Telstra and the Telstra
Foundation.
Previously he worked as a chief of sta to the then Minister for
Communications, Senator Richard Alston, and also as a senior adviser
to Prime Minister John Howard. Both in this role and as a senior
adviser in the Cabinet Policy Unit, David advised on health policy
issues, including the PBS.
I am a fervent believer in the importance of pharmacies as
primary health care providers and community-based businesses.
It is a privilege to join an organisation that represents Australias
most respected profession in such a professional
and eective manner.
David Quilty will take over from
Wendy Phillips from 1 December.
Next Previous
14
PHARMACY REVIEW2012
13
PHARMACY REVIEW2012
13
PHARMACY REVIEW2012
Te strength of
the Guild is that
we are one national
organisation with
politically active
branches in every
state and territory,
with one overriding
objectiveto support
our members and
maintain the
current system of
community pharmacy
in Australia.
The calendar year 2012 has been
one of signicant developments
for community pharmacy. For me
personally, it also marks the end of
my career with the Pharmacy Guild
of Australia. I have enjoyed my time
at the Guild enormously both as a
Director of Strategic Policy, then
as Deputy Executive Director and
for the past four years as Executive
Director. The work has always been
stimulating, the issues challenging
and the outcomes mostly
rewarding.
Certainly there have been plenty of
challenges this year, with the most
signicant price cuts in the history of
the Pharmaceutical Benets Scheme
taking eect from 1 April. There
was also the important national
rollout of MedsCheck and Diabetes
MedsCheck, adding to the suite of
medication management services
provided by community pharmacies,
and remunerated under the Fifth
Agreement.
Community pharmacy businesses
have had to adapt to these and other
developments against a background
of dicult trading conditions and
cost pressures which drove a record
number of businesses to the wall.
Looking back on the past 20 years
it seems as though there has never
been any shortage of challenges.
One of the most confronting external
issue involved National Competition
Policy when it was introduced by
the Keating Government in 1995
and implemented during the
Howard years. As many in pharmacy
would recall, this policy, signed o
by every Government in Australia,
directly threatened the ownership of
pharmacies by pharmacists because it
required all regulations to be removed
unless it was demonstrated that they
provided a public benet.
For the Guild, this became a
campaign of major proportions and
was successful mainly because of our
representational work at a political
level; but also because the Guild
focussed all its resources, nationally
and working with our branches, to
get the result we wanted.
Since I have been the Executive
Director, with any major issue I have
tried to use this same approach of
having all parts of the Guild work
together to achieve a result.
The strength of the Guild is that we
are one national organisation with
politically active branches in every
state and territory, with one overriding
objectiveto support our members
and maintain the current system of
community pharmacy in Australia.
I have also advocated a course of
cooperation and consultation with
other organisations if we can gain
their support to strengthen our case.
However, this is only possible where
there is absolute agreement as to
the core argument. Otherwise, the
single focus is lost and our campaign
undermined. An example of this
occurred in relation to the Greens
proposal for a Senate Inquiry into
the Fifth Agreement where it was
not possible to achieve a single and
undiluted pharmacy position and
it was necessary for the Guild
to work alone.
A key strength of the Guild has been
and still isthe lobbying capacity
of the Guild through eective
political representation at a national
and branch level. Over the years,
our approach has been to provide
a solution rather than a problem
when visiting a politician and, while
this doesnt always achieve an
immediate result, it creates a positive
environment for future negotiations.
One more thing . . .
E
x
e
c
u
t
i
v
e

D
i
r
e
c
t
o
r
I once had a short conversation on a
plane with Ken Henry when he was
the Secretary of the Treasury, and told
him that we liked to quote what he
had once said about the Guild, when
he described it as one of the most
eective lobbying organisations in
the country. He corrected me and
said that what he had actually said
was that it was the most eective.
However this sort of image can also
create problems for the Guild.
Through the course of the third
and fourth Agreements, the Guild
had some dicult relationships
with the Department which
caused unnecessary delays in the
implementation of new Agreement
programs and an underspend of the
funds. In the current Agreement that
has changedwe have a cooperative
and constructive relationship with
the Department and there has been
timely implementation of all the new
programs and a full expenditure of
allocated funds.
Of unquestioned value to the Guilds
negotiating capacity is the strength
and depth of our health economics
and statistical analysis team within
the National Secretariat. This is
combined with the fact that we rarely
lose talented peoplewe have an
excellent retention rate for senior
sta which ensures that corporate
knowledge is not lost.
I think, however, that the Guilds
greatest strength is that we know and
can focus on our core business which
is to ensure the future of community
pharmacy. We say the Guild is
community pharmacy.
A pharmacy model which operates
like a supermarket, just competing on
price, undermines these arguments
for pharmacist ownership. The enemy
from within is often worse than the
enemy from without.
However, on the positive side, health
is a growth area and medicines are
a key component. As people live
longer, they will become increasingly
dependent on medicines and this will
ensure there is a continued demand
for pharmacy services.
The strength of community pharmacy
is in the relationships it has with its
customers and the services it provides
to them.
We dont have to dilute our focus
by having to represent any other
sectional interests as is the case with
many organisations.
Notwithstanding this strength, there
is no doubting the impact that PBS
reforms will have on the viability of
many community pharmacies over
the next few years and this will be a
major challenge for the Guild.
Combined with rising costs in rents
and wages, it is easy to foresee
increased instability in the market.
A Government intent on returning
the Budget to surplusand keeping
it therewill only increase this
nervousness.
As in past years, the Guild will focus its
energies in the lead-up to the Federal
election next year in order to obtain
binding assurances from all sides of
politics to provide some insulation for
pharmacy. However, with the current
Agreement ending in June 2015, the
timing of the negotiations for a Sixth
Agreement will not be favourable,
commencing soon after a new
Government comes into oce.
One of the recent business trends in
pharmacythe growth of big box
discount pharmaciesis a challenge
to the Guilds vision of community
pharmacy as a healthcare destination.
It potentially opens the door to
supermarkets. The Guild has always
argued that the best way to maintain
the current community pharmacy
system is for pharmacies to become
indispensable to government through
the delivery of programs and services
which have demonstrable health
outcomes in the community.
E
x
e
c
u
t
i
v
e

D
i
r
e
c
t
o
r
Previous Next
16
PHARMACY REVIEW2012
15
PHARMACY REVIEW2012
15
PHARMACY REVIEW2012
Federal Health
Minister, Tanya
Plibersek, visited a
Sydney pharmacy
in early August for
a media event about
generic medicines
and their role in
supporting the
sustainability of
the Pharmaceutical
Benefts Scheme.
The owners and sta of Blooms
the Chemist at Coogee made the
Minister very welcome.
As well as talking to the media,
Ms Plibersek was able to meet and
chat with sta at the pharmacy,
including pharmacist Lianna
Shehadie. The Minister wanted to
speak to the national media at the
pharmacy to follow-up a recent
newspaper story advising people
of the benets and savings that
they can make through accepting a
generic medicine where appropriate,
especially where brand price
premiums apply to originator
medicines.
The Minister said, The cost of the
medicine without the brand premium
will be no more than the PBS co-
payment of $5.80 for concessional
patients and up to $35.40 for general
patients. The alternative brand
provides exactly the same health
benet as the more expensive
brand for which the pharmaceutical
company has decided to charge
the consumer more. Patients should
always ask their pharmacist when
their script is being dispensed
whether there is a less costly brand
of their medicine available.
Behind the scenes of the Ministers pharmacy visit
The Minister was joined at the press
brieng by the CEO of the National
Prescribing Service (NPS), Dr Lynn
Weekes. The NPS message is that
consumers can be condent that
dierent brands are just as eective,
and that cheaper medicines work just
as well.
As part of the media promotion
of generics, a list of the brands of
medicines on the PBS that increased
their cost to consumers on 1 August
2012, accompanied with a list of
less expensive brands of the same
medicines, was posted on the
internet at www.pbs.gov.au
The Federal Health Minister and
politicians from all sides of politics
and all levels of government are
most welcome to visit community
pharmacies whenever and
wherever possible to see the active
healthcare role played by community
pharmacists, particularly in
providing advice about medicines to
consumers, as part of their everyday
operation.
E
v
e
n
t

N
e
w
s
Gold! Gold! Gold!
A record-breaking 4,499 attendees
reveled in the blockbuster four-day
program and bigger-than-ever trade
exhibition at this years Australian
Pharmacy Professional conference
2012 (APP), held, as always, at the
Gold Coast.
Though its been a turbulent year for
pharmacy as seismic changes loom
on the horizon, the largest theme to
emerge from this years conference
was the sense of opportunity. That
includes the opportunity to assert
the community pharmacists role as
primary health care providers through
delivering professional services, and
the opportunity to participate in
eHealth innovations which are set
to change the nature of healthcare
in Australia.
Conference highlights include the
Minister for Health, Tanya Pliberseks
keynote address, numerous
international speakers, and a trade
exhibition which was bursting at the
seams with new exhibitors. The Gala
Dinner attendance also recorded its
biggest turn out in the history of APP.
Minister Plibersek announced the
winner of Pharmacy of the Year 2012.
The honour was awarded to Cape
York Guardian Pharmacy, located at
Weipa, a very small town in Far North
Queensland. Cape York Guardian
Pharmacy was acknowledged as a
category winner for excellence in
community engagement before
winning the top award.
Every year the Queensland branch
of the Guild takes responsibility for
the extraordinary behind the scenes
organisation of APP. Preparations
for next year are underway and
in March, APP 2013 is set to beat
2012s outstanding numbers.
The conference is now widely
acknowledged as THE pharmacy
event of the year, as at least 4,499
pharmacy industry personnel
can eagerly conrm.


Below
The general hubbub; crowds mill about the
Guild stand at th---e most successful APP ever.
E
v
e
n
t

N
e
w
s
Previous
18
PHARMACY REVIEW2012
17
PHARMACY REVIEW2012
17
PHARMACY REVIEW2012
In mid-2011, the ACT
Branch embarked on
a yearlong project to
spread the word about
cardiovascular health
through community
pharmacies.
It was directed at the ACT
community including Aboriginal
and Torres Strait islander peoples
and facilitated by a grant from the
ACT Health Directorates Health
Promotion department.
The overall objectives were to
increase awareness of cardiovascular
health to pharmacists, pharmacy sta
and the community, and provide
pharmacists with the knowledge and
tools to educate their community
about cardiovascular health.
In order to achieve the goal, the ACT
Branch established a partnership with
the Heart Foundation ACT, and set
about utilising the Heart Foundations
approved messages of Women and
Heart Disease, and the Warning
Signs of Heart Attack for promotional
materials, such as script folders,
and educational presentations to
pharmacists and sta.
The Branch also developed health
promotion kits, which included
approved QCPP guidelines on health
promotion activities, DVD and USB
with Powerpoint presentations, and
marketing collateral. The kits provided
pharmacists with everything they
needed to get started on health
promotion activities.
The Branch also tapped into the Heart
Foundations skills and resources to
establish connections for pharmacies
to conduct health promotion
activities on their premises or in
community centres. For example,
many pharmacies established Walking
Groups for their customers with the
meeting point being their pharmacy.
There have been some amazing
stories of interventions by
pharmacists, who have literally
saved lives of customers who have
presented at the pharmacy thinking
they had indigestion or muscular pain,
when in fact they were experiencing
the signs of heart attack.
One such pharmacist reported that
her participation in the project
activities had given her a heightened
awareness of the warning signs of
heart attack.
The Walking Groups provide more
than just exercise: a woman whose
husband had recently died, joined
the local pharmacys Walking Group,
and after a few weeks, reported to
WA Forum provides solutions
sta she had made connection with
people in her community again which
helped her deal with her grief and
loneliness.
This project ocially ended on
30 June this year; however, it seems
to have taken on a life of
its own with many pharmacies
still utilising the repeat prescription
folders, continuing to host Walking
Groups and other health promotion
activities.
Overall, it was a great experience
for those who have been involved,
but most importantly for the ACT
community. Through the literature
and health promotion activities such
as the Heart Foundation Walking
Groups and Heart Moves programs,
pharmacies have engaged their
community in greater awareness of
cardiovascular health. In addition, they
have provided their customers with
an insight into other services available
at community pharmacies besides
script dispensing.
Healthy hearts project
The fourth Pharmacy WA Forum secured another great panel of leading analysts, business
commentators and social media experts across two days in August.
Highlights included Kos Sclavos, live via a video link en route to
PharmIntercom to give attendees an update on all the news in the
world of international pharmacy. Experts took a look at intellectual property and there was a
breakfast meeting with WA Small Business Commissioner, David Eaton. Renowned author and
journalist for The Australian, Bernard Salt, provided a unique insight into the Australian business market.
The sessions included WA Guild Intern Program and how to use social media.
E
v
e
n
t

N
e
w
s
Top gong for top end pharmacy in 2012
Cape York Guardian Pharmacy in Weipa, Far North Queensland, is the QCPP
Pharmacy of the Year for 2012. The announcement was made by the Minister
for Health Tanya Plibersek at the Australian Pharmacy Professional (APP)
conference in March.
Owner pharmacist Scott McCahon, who accepted the award on behalf of his
team, explained why he entered the competition this year: The pharmacy had
reached a point where I was proud of where wed come from. The community
has embraced us since weve come here and I wanted to show the town that
we deliver a level of service, and a pharmacy, that is comparable with anywhere
in Australia.
The Pharmacy Guild of Australia, in partnership with the Quality Care Pharmacy
Program, has been seeking out and acknowledging excellence and innovation
through the Pharmacy of the Year award for more than a decade. After
reviewing all of the entries seven pharmacies were selected as nalists and
visited by the judges.
The three category winners in the running for the overall award in 2012 were
Chemmart Superstore Pharmacy, Eaton (WA)
Excellence in business management
Martins Chemist, St. Marys (NSW)
Innovation in professional services
Cape York Guardian Pharmacy, Weipa (QLD)
Excellence in community engagement
The exceptional standard of nalists in this years competition so impressed the
judges Bill Scott (Chairman of Fred Health) and Patrick Reid (a Guild National
Director) that they asked the QCPP to recognise a fourth pharmacy, in the form
of an Honourable Mention, which went to Priceline Pharmacy, Kiama (NSW).
Cape York Guardian Pharmacy works
closely with the local Indigenous
communities via the local Primary
Health Care Centre, supplying DAAs
and S100 Support.
This includes sta and client education,
web-based clinical support and
providing a contracted clinical
pharmacist with specialist skills in the
Quality Use of Medicines.
During the year, Scott McCahon
was appointed as head of the Cape
York Hospital and Health Board. The
appointments are part of the new
Queensland Governments move to
return delivery of health services to
local control, with board appointments
being made for 15 regions across
Queensland.
On winning Pharmacy of the Year 2012,
Scott McCahon said
It was a tremendous thrill and a proud
moment for myself, the team and the
community of Weipa. The recognition
and congratulations received from
all sectors of the profession has been
an overwhelming and exhilarating
experience.
It has assisted us to attract professional
sta and raised the prole of the
business. But if I had to dene a single
aspect of the win that resonates most it
would be the fact that the community
of Weipa share our excitement and
proudly tell their friends that
our pharmacy won
Pharmacy of the Year!
E
v
e
n
t

N
e
w
s
Previous
20
PHARMACY REVIEW2012
19
PHARMACY REVIEW2012
19
PHARMACY REVIEW2012
Cultural competence within the
pharmacy sector continues as a
priority for the Guild with a cultural
awareness standard introduced in
the Quality Care Pharmacy Program.
Additionally the Guild continues
to work closely with the National
Aboriginal Community Controlled
Health Organisation (NACCHO)
on Indigenous policy matters.
This enabled the Guild to unite
with NACCHO in advocating for
improvements to the s100 Remote
Aboriginal Health Services Program
through the release of a joint
position paper, Improving access to
Pharmaceutical Benets Schedule
medicines for Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander people through the
Section 100 Remote Aboriginal
Health Services Program. This paper
is in response to the report from the
Senate Community Aairs References
Committee.
The report looked into the
eectiveness of special arrangements
for the supply of Pharmaceutical
Benets Scheme (PBS) medicines
to remote Aboriginal Health
Services (released in October 2011).
Both organisations hope that the
Governments response will provide
the opportunity to review the Section
100 Remote Aboriginal Health Services
Program (s100 RAHSP) in light, not
only of the Senate report, but also of
the numerous reviews and evaluations
which have preceded it.
The development and updating of
policy papers continues to ow with
the Guilds National Council endorsing
Access to Community Pharmacy
Services In Rural/Remote Australia,
Access to the Telehealth Initiative
through Community Pharmacy and
Access to Pharmacy Services by
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
People.
The Guilds Northern Territory Branch
President, Terry Battalis, is the CPRIA
chairperson and is also a delegate
to the National Rural Health Alliance
(NRHA) representing the Rural
Pharmacists Alliance. The Alliance is
made up of the Guild, the Society of
Hospital Pharmacists of Australia, the
Australian College of Pharmacy, and
the National Australian Pharmacy
Students Association.
The Community Pharmacies for Rural
and Indigenous Australia Advisory
Group (CPRIA) (formerly known as the
Rural Remote and Indigenous Special
Interest Group) was established in
2011 by the Guild to address rural and
remote population health issues in
general, and to ensure Indigenous-
specic issues relevant to community
pharmacy are addressed under
various national health policies.
CPRIA engages with governments
and other relevant stakeholders
on the role of rural community
pharmacy. It seeks to develop ways
of enhancing and improving the
services provided by community
pharmacists to Indigenous
communities through initiatives
such as the Section 100 Remote
Aboriginal Health Service Program
and the Closing the Gap PBS Co-
payment measure.
Rural and remote focus for re-vamped advisory group
The activities of CPRIA are reported
to the Policy and Regulatory Aairs
Committee and the National Council
to ensure issues aecting rural,
remote and Indigenous populations
are raised at the highest level within
the Guild.
The role of community pharmacy in a
rural context was highlighted through
a number of forums, including
our partnership with the Rural
Pharmacists Australia to sit at the
National Rural Health Alliance table.
CPRIA and RPA members promoted
the policy context and work of
community pharmacy at a number
of national conferences through the
year including the Population Health
Congress, the Services for Australian
Rural and Remote Allied Health
Conference, the Indigenous Allied
Health Australia conference.
R
u
r
a
l

a
n
d

I
n
d
i
g
e
n
o
u
s
Pharmacy Health Checks deliver
The Pharmacy Guild (NSW Branch)
and the National Stroke Foundation
have been working together to
deliver the Pharmacy Health Checks:
Know Your Numbers program.
It is a year round, incentivised
program which provides free,
non-invasive health checks to the
community in the pharmacy setting.
As an extension of the National
Stroke Foundations Know Your
Numbers, the program aims to
increase individual awareness of
cardiovascular disease and type-2
diabetes through opportunistic
blood pressure checks and risk of
type-2 diabetes assessments.
Consumers are provided with tailored
lifestyle modication information by
the pharmacist and those considered
high risk are referred on to their
general practitioner for further
assessment.
The Know Your Numbers program is
fully funded by the NSW Ministry of
Health under the $10m Community
Pharmacy Plan and was launched
in May 2012 by the NSW Minister for
Health, Jillian Skinner. It is expected
over 385 000 free health checks will
be performed over the life of the
program.
While Know Your Numbers has
generally been taken up for short
periods each year in other states,
the NSW program has a number of
distinct features
It is supported by NSW
Government incentives of
$1000 p.a. which is a recognition
that pharmacies cannot be
expected to continually provide
services for free
It is a state-wide program meeting
the Governments desire for
equitable access
It checks for both blood pressure
and type 2 diabetes
It is free
It is quality assured and to
agreed standards
There are caps each year on the
number of pharmacies that
can participate
There is an agreement to deliver
the services signed by both the
Guild and the NSF with the
NSW Government.
This is in eect a public private
partnership with the NSW
Government for the use of
community pharmacy infrastructure
to deliver health outcomes on behalf
of the Government and to reduce
costs in the state hospital system.
Community pharmacy has proved its
value and its willingness to partner
with the NSW Government, and it is
hoped that this will provide a model
for other states and territories.
The Guild and the NSF provide
participating pharmacies with
the resources, training and support
required to successfully carry out
the program.
Know Your Numbers mass media
advertising campaigns take place
nationally during May
and September.
Know your numbers!
May 2012 Launch Left to right
Mr Ian Campbell
(Director, Pharmacy Guild NSWBranch),
Hon Jillian Skinner (NSWMinister for Health),
Mr Bruce Notely-Smith (MP),
Clr Robert Belleli (Randwick City Council),
Mr Richard Walsh (Walshs Village Pharmacy,
Maroubra), Dr Erin Lalor (CEO, The National
Stroke Foundation), Ms Roslyn Johnson
(The National Stroke Foundation),
Mr Phillip Walsh.
P
h
a
r
m
a
c
y

H
e
a
l
t
h

C
h
e
c
k
s

d
e
l
i
v
e
r
Previous Next
22
PHARMACY REVIEW2012
21
PHARMACY REVIEW2012
21
PHARMACY REVIEW2012
In March this year, the Guild provided a submission to the Senate
Inquiry on the provision of palliative care in Australia, on the basis
that approximately 80 per cent of patients receive palliative care in
the community setting. The submission highlighted that community
pharmacists are cognisant of the special needs of those receiving
palliative care, including the provision and facilitation of support
services and longer-term strategies. Additionally, community
pharmacists assist in providing such care within the home for as long as
possible before the patient might need to move to specialised facilities.
Key submission issues outlined
funding a community pharmacists
involvement in structured care
plan arrangements for palliative
care patients, for example, during
case conferencing
consistent legislation between
states and territories to ensure
access to eective palliative care
medicines is not hampered
a return system to assist in
removing high-risk medicines such
as controlled drugs and cytotoxics
from households when they are no
longer required
the benets to the Government,
and to patients and families, to
fund Dose Administration Aids
(DAAs) services as part of palliative
care services, along the lines of the
Department of Veterans Aairs
DAA funding.
The Guild was subsequently invited
to address the Senate Community
Aairs References Committee on 10
July in Canberra, which was attended
by Harvey Cuthill (National Councilor
and Committee member, Tasmania
Branch) and Denis Leahy (Committee
Member, New South Wales Branch).
The Committee explored the issues
regarding
o-label use of medicines
access to medicines in rural and
remote locations
the cost and access to syringe
drivers
the lack of knowledge of
prescribers regarding scheduling,
legislation and availability of
medicines used in palliation.
The Guild also provided the
Committee with a table comparing
the Schedule 8 regulations and were
given a question on notice, to provide
an overview of pharmacists providing
domiciliary palliative care.
The Inquiry Report was released
in October 2012, with the
recommendations highlighting the
need for a greater emphasis and
funding to provide community-
based palliative care, and a full
review of the medications available
on the PBS.
The nal report also supported
a Guild recommendation that
the Government expedite the
introduction of uniform regulations
for the supply of Schedule 8 drugs.
The Guilds submission, the Hansard
of the Committee hearing, and the
Inquiry Report can be accessed online
through the Parliament of Australia
website www.aph.gov.au
Senate Inquiry on the provision of palliative care
Community pharmacy has
traditionally been involved with
the distribution of vaccines and is
well-placed to participate in vaccine
administration and community
immunisation programs in a number
of ways, including
advocacy and the provision of
information
in-pharmacy vaccination by a
registered nurse immuniser, and
in the future, in-pharmacy
vaccination administered by a
suitably trained and credentialed
pharmacist.
Internationally, the provision of
immunisation services involving
pharmacistswho have been trained
and certied to administer vaccines,
and utilise agreed protocols and
collaborative arrangementsis now
well-accepted in countries such as the
USA, UK, Ireland and Portugal.
Improving access to seasonal
inuenza vaccinations through
community pharmacy will
improve public health outcomes
through the prevention
of inuenza infection and
associated morbidity.
Increasing inuenza vaccinations
P
a
l
l
i
a
t
i
v
e

C
a
r
e
Community
pharmacys long
tradition of playing
an important role
in the management
of diabetes saw an
important milestone
reached in 2012
25 years since the
establishment of the
National Diabetes
Services Scheme
(NDSS).
This is achieved through a network
of over 4,000 independent Access
Points (formerly known as Sub-
Agents) who participate in the
Scheme at no cost to the NDSS, and
are mandated to provide services that
extend beyond just being a shop
front for NDSS products including
providing registrants with
accurate and appropriate
information and professional
advice on diabetes and eective
self-management
referrals to appropriate health
professionals
advice on the appropriate use
of products
NDSS materials
access to a person who has
specialised training in NDSS policies
and procedures
a reliable supply of products and
a supply to meet both the
anticipated and actual demand.
Additionally Access points receive
new registrations for the NDSS and
submit them to Diabetes Australia.
Community pharmacies make up 98
per cent of Access Points for the NDSS,
electing to be involved in the NDSS
due to high level of commitment to
providing a comprehensive diabetes
service to the community.
Whilst community pharmacy and
the Guild remain committed to
the objectives of the NDSS and the
management and treatment needs
of people with diabetes, the Guild
has highlighted continuously to
Government and Diabetes Australia
that it is unreasonable to expect
community pharmacy to continue
to participate in the Scheme with no
remuneration. An analysis by Medici
Capital in February 2011 estimated
that based on pharmacy cost and
income trends since 2001 the nancial
impact on community pharmacy
Access Points is an average loss of
$7,481 per year.
The Guild hopes that eciencies
within the model of the NDSS are
identied as part of the numerous
reviews that were conducted in 2012.
Any resultant cost savings should be
redirected to support Access Points
to deliver the NDSS. This will ensure
that people with diabetes in Australia
have continued access to high quality
advice and professional services in
their local community at a destination
of their choice.
National Diabetes Services Scheme
In addition, New Zealand introduced
a pharmacist-administered inuenza
vaccination service in late 2011.
The Inuenza Specialist Group (ISG)
consisting of medical and scientic
specialists from Australia and New
Zealand reports that each year, an
estimated 3,500 Australians die from
inuenza and its complications and
it is estimated that inuenza annually
causes 18,000 hospitalisations and
over 300,000 GP consultations.
The economic loss suered by
industry and individuals is also
signicant with a 1996 study
indicating that inuenza results in an
estimated 1.5 million work days lost
annually in Australia. The inuenza
vaccine also has clear economic
benets, with studies showing it can
decrease total winter absenteeism in
the workplace by 36 per cent.
From a policy perspective it makes
sense to augment the current
avenues available for immunisation
and to reduce health risks, levels
of hospitalisation and economic
loss in the community. This has
been advocated by the Guild at
the national, state and territory
levels throughout 2012, including a
presentation delivered at the National
Immunisation Conference in Darwin
in June.
D
i
a
b
e
t
e
s
Next Previous
24
PHARMACY REVIEW2012
23
PHARMACY REVIEW2012
G
o
l
d

C
r
o
s
s
The PBN was developed to continue
the legacy of former Guild National
Councillor and pharmacy advocate,
the late Judy Liauw, by supporting
the Guilds vision to develop the
business nous of pharmacy owners
and leaders of the future.
The PBN is a tting forum to continue
her legacy of developing our future
pharmacy leaders, said Jean Shannon
of the St. James Ethics Centre.
I was touched and proud to be
the rst speaker of the Judy Liauw
Foundation Address.
The PBN took a practical approach to
putting on an event with a unique
focus on providing attendees
with interactive tools to improve
business planning, management and
protability in their pharmacy.
In a learning environment the attend-
ees mixed with a range of experts and
networked with people from all levels
of the pharmacy industry. Pharmacists,
retail managers, pharmacy students,
pharmacy assistants and CEOs all
mingled in the open forum provided
by the PBN. The delegates attend-
ing the PBN have strongly endorsed
our practical and interactive style as
unique and rewarding, PBN Chair,
Patrick Reid said.
The PBN also hosted the nal
presentations of the National Student
Business Plan Competition with
the University of South Australia
announced as the winner at the Gala
Dinner on the Saturday night.
The encouraging atmosphere at the
PBN and the hands on methods used
in dierent sessions throughout the
event ensured that all delegates had
real action plans to take back to their
pharmacy.
Pharmacy delegates
from right across
Australia and as far
as New Zealand
assembled at the
National Convention
Centre in Canberra
for the frst ever
Pharmacy Business
Network (PBN)
event that ran from
13-16 September.
Networking brings benets
Pictured
Ling Na Yan, Chris Braithwaite and Jessica
Dawson, fromthe University of South Australia,
winners of the National Student Business Plan
Competition, 2012.
Far right, at their presentation: and at right after
the awards ceremony.
B
u
s
i
n
e
s
s
One delegates feedback form told the
story World class presentations, apt
and fast-paced. Presenters were highly
informed and articulate. Signicant
issues addressed. Time well-allocated,
worth attending 100 per cent.
Highlights include presentations
by the 2012 Pharmacy of the Year
winners, how to deal with tricky
human resource issues, and the
launch of the Guilds new guidelines
on reporting turnover to landlords.
Next Previous
You hold the keys
to bone health:
Calcium and vitamin D
Recommending adequate intake of calcium and vitamin D is vital for bone health
Look for our logo on packs
www.osteoporosis.org.au
Pharmacists can make a diference in the prevention of osteoporosis
26
PHARMACY REVIEW2012
The Pharmacy Practice Incentives
Program (PPI) was launched at a
time when community pharmacy
had already started the journey
in practice change. The Program
requirements to deliver and
record services to the quality
standard have provided support
for pharmacies in the development
and delivery of services. The
unprecedented number of
pharmacies that have embraced
PPI has created a wave of support
from other organisations including
key health organisations focused on
improving public health.
This year has seen the consolidation
of PPI funded by the Australian
Government under the 5th
Community Pharmacy Agreement. Its
aim is to provide incentive payments
to approved Section 90 community
pharmacies for providing systemised
patient focused services that will
improve quality use of medicines and
patient health outcomes.
Many of the services under PPI were
already being delivered but to what
extent or quality has been largely
unknown. In the past many services
were not standardised or dened
and pharmacies were not routinely
documenting their activities.
This has led to community
pharmacies and community
pharmacists being under-valued
in the role they play in the health
outcomes of patients. Some health
professional groups, individuals
and organisations only recognised
community pharmacy
as a supplier of pharmaceuticals
or as a retailer.
Pharmacy Practice Incentivessupporting change
In July 2011, PPI was launched and
to date over 90 per cent of the 5,240
approved community pharmacies
in Australia are participating in
the Program. This has been an
extraordinary result for the Program,
indicating that PPI is supporting the
needs of community pharmacies and
ensuring the quality and consistency
of service they provide to their
patients.
Of the 4,700 community pharmacies
participating over 4,000 are delivering
services under all six priority
areas: Clinical Interventions, DAAs,
Staged Supply, Primary Health Care,
Community Services Support and
Working with Others.
So, why would so many pharmacies
choose to participate in this new
Program?
Certainly remuneration is a factor.
Under PPI, pharmacies are able
to receive incentive payments for
delivering specic professional
services to the Program requirements.
But the $344 million allocated to
this Program demonstrates that
community pharmacies are being
recognised for their role in improving
patient health outcomes. It provides
some nancial support to community
pharmacies as they develop and
provide professional services to the
requirements of the PPI Program.
The PPI priority areas have been
developed with the objective of
improving quality use of medicines
and patient health outcomes. Each
priority area and element is dened,
which provides a standardised
approach to the type and delivery of
professional services in community
pharmacy.
This provides community pharmacies
with the framework and ability to
demonstrate the value they add in
specic areas of health within the
community.
In developing these priority areas,
consideration was given to the core
activities community pharmacies
already perform and their traditional
role as experts in medicine. This
ensured the Program was not
requiring pharmacies to change
their focus but to improve the way in
which services such as DAAs, Clinical
Interventions and Staged Supply were
delivered.
By providing denitions it makes
these services purposeful and
recognised not just by the pharmacy
industry but by government and the
wider health industry, highlighting the
broader role of community pharmacy.
The most important aspect of the
Program in supporting pharmacy
is systems. PPI has encouraged
community pharmacies to develop
and implement professional services
systematically. This leads to the
delivery of consistently high quality
services.
This has been achieved by ensuring
that pharmacy accreditation is one of
the eligibility criteria of the Program,
and linking the requirements of each
priority area to the quality Standard.
This requirement has provided
participating pharmacies with a
robust quality framework to work
within when developing, recording
and delivering services under PPI.
P
h
a
r
m
a
c
y

P
r
a
c
t
i
c
e

I
n
c
e
n
t
i
v
e
s
Next
Were here to help
Call the Heart Foundations Health Information Service on 1300 36 27 87 during
business hours or email health@heartfoundation.org.au
National Heart Foundation of Australia ABN 98 008 419 761
- preventon und treutment
- rehubtuton
- turdut reseurth und udvuntes n tethnoogy
- lestye munugement, suth us nutrton, phystu uttvty
und quttng smokng
- Heurt lounduton gudenes, pruttte toos
und putent resourtes
- events, prolessonu deveopment und medu.
Y
o
u
Y
o
u

a
n
d

y
o
u
r

p
a
t
i
e
n
t
s
lree support lrom the Heuth lnlormuton Servte
Runnng ow on tme: Reler your putents lor uddtonu nlormuton und lree support lrom the Heurt lounduton's
Heuth lnlormuton Servte. No uppontments ure netessury, und upurt lrom the tost ol the tu the servte s
tompetey lree to use.
1he Heuth lnlormuton Servte s run by u quued heuth prolessonu teum wth extensve knowedge und
resourtes on topts ntudng:
- bood pressure munugement
- weght munugement
- redutng totu thoestero eves
- nutrton
- phystu uttvty
- quttng smokng
- heurt tondtons.
1he Heuth lnlormuton Servte s uso u greut sourte ol nlormuton lor heuth prolessonus.
Why not use the online referral form?
www.heartfoundation.org.au/information-for-professionals
Stuy nlormed wth the lree Heart Health Network
Heart Health Network s the Heurt lounduton's lree e-newsetter lor heuth prolessonus.
lssued every sx weeks, Heart Health Network leutures the utest news on u runge ol topts ntudng:
Why not register today?
www.heartfoundation.org.au/heart-health-network
Continued
28
PHARMACY REVIEW2012
27
PHARMACY REVIEW2012
27
PHARMACY REVIEW2012
Through the Program requirements,
a pharmacy must document or
record their activities under the
dierent PPI priority areas thereby
developing evidence of the services
provided, evidence that the service is
standardised, evidence that it is part
of the pharmacys routine practice
and evidence that the pharmacy is
providing patient focused care. The
GuildCare software suite, developed
by GuildLink, creates eciencies
as well as a recording function for
Clinical Interventions.
In the rst 6 months of the Program
over 4600 community pharmacies
delivered DAA services to almost
134,000 patients each week to the
quality standard. This is a signicant
number of patients receiving a quality
patient focused service that we can
demonstrate is standardised across
the industry as it is delivered within
a robust quality framework.
Under Clinical Interventions,
in the rst six months of the
Program, over 4,600 community
pharmacies performed almost
14,000 interventions each week.
Community pharmacies have always
performed clinical interventions
but these gures provide us with
real evidence of just how often a
community pharmacist has identied
and recorded a drug related problem
and more importantly that this service
is performed within a robust quality
framework. Indications are that the
number of clinical interventions being
recorded has continued to increase
in 2012.
In time PPI will highlight to others
in the broader health industry
the important and valuable role
of community pharmacy when
considering services to improve
patient health outcomes across
Australia.
Fromprevious
The Conference was held on the
beautiful shores of Waikiki Beach,
and a wide range of international
speakers spoke on topics including
global health, wound care and
world economics.
Seven time world champion
surfer Layne Beachley gave an
inspirational keynote presentation.
She talked about her determination
to succeed and how her personal
life and battle with illness gave her
the motivation to establish the
foundation Aim for the Stars, which
provides nancial grants for young
women to achieve their dreams.
Dr Alessandro Demaio, University
of Copenhagen, presented on
global health and the epidemic
of chronic disease. He explored
the frightening statistics of non-
communicable diseases and how
pharmacists can assist in the
prevention of these diseases.
Dr Demaios second presentation
outlined how social media and
new technologies are the future
of medicine and can enhance
engagement with pharmacy
customers.
Associate Professor Geo Sussman
talked about the specialist wound
care pharmacists can provide
through their pharmacy.
CommSecs Chief Economist Craig
James gave delegates an overview
of how he sees the worlds
economy evolving over the next 3
to 10 years and how that will relate
to retail pharmacy.
Pharmaceutical consultant David
Ford presented on Womens Health
and the Future: Complex Proteins
and Targeted Therapies.
Australian surgeon Dr Joseph Ischia
made the trip from the University
of British Columbia in Vancouver
to speak on one of the topics he is
passionate about, mens health.
Delegates had the chance to dine
at the celebrated restaurant of Iron
Chef, Moritmoto, in Waikiki and
dance the night away at the Hard
Rock Caf for the Farewell Dinner
Hawaii Oshore Conference
More than 100 delegates attended the Victoria Branchs 2012 Oshore
Conference in Hawaii in October.
In October, the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) Centennial
Congress in Amsterdam provided a timely focus on the importance of
community pharmacists in health systems globally.
Over 5,500 participants convened in the birth country of the Federation to
highlight the benets of pursuing the responsible use of medicines.
The Congress saw the release of two key documents, one from the World Health
Organisation (WHO), The Pursuit of Responsible Use of Medicines, and one
from the IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics on Advancing Responsible Use
of Medicines. The IMS report identied an opportunity to avoid an amazing 500
billion US dollars annually in global health spending, through more responsible
medicine use. Find out more at www.iamapharmacist.com
A global focus
P
h
a
r
m
a
c
y

P
r
a
c
t
i
c
e

I
n
c
e
n
t
i
v
e
s
Western Australia
Kath Van Der Straaten, Optimal Pharmacy
Plus, Coolbellup
Northern Territory
Danielle Logan, Alice Springs Pharmacy
South Australia
Rebecca Leslie, Terry White Chemist,
Port Lincoln
Queensland
Mellisa Cracknell, Ipswich Medical Centre Day
and Night Chemist
NewSouth Wales
Amelia Harris, Priceline Pharmacy, Forster
Australian Capital Territory
Allanah Brookhouse, Capital Chemist,
Wanniassa
Victoria
Sue Quarrell, Pharmasave, Brentford Square
Tasmania
Emma Heazlewood, Terry White Chemist,
Fourways
Tasmania makes it
two in a row for
Pharmacy Assistant
of the Year
Emma Heazlewood from Terry
White, Fourways in Devonport,
Tasmania, has been named the
Pharmacy Guild of Australia and
GSKs 2012 National Pharmacy
Assistant of the Year (PATY).
Pharmacy assistant of the year 2012
P
h
a
r
m
a
c
y

A
s
s
i
s
t
a
n
t

o
f

t
h
e

Y
e
a
r

2
0
1
2
Emma was absolutely thrilled to
be chosen and said it was a great
experience to be able to learn from so
many fantastic people.
All the nalists were such inspiring
people, she said. I have certainly
formed long-lasting relationships
and I will be able to use the skills that
I have learned in this competition
throughout my career.
John Dowling, Tasmanian Branch
President of the Pharmacy Guild of
Australia said that this competition
is a reection of the dedication and
passion that the nalists have for their
jobs and the industry.
To be named the Pharmacy Assistant
of the Year is to be recognised for
your skills and knowledge in your
chosen career and this competition
brings together outstanding
assistants from across Australia,
Mr Dowling said.
We are delighted that Tasmania
has now won the national title two
years in a row. Claudia Pulko from
Dover Pharmacy was Tasmanias rst
national winner last year. It clearly
demonstrates that the service and
care Tasmanians can expect
from their community
pharmacies is of a very
high standard indeed,
Mr Dowling added.
Emma commenced her career as a
pharmacy assistant in a small
community pharmacy in 1999.
In 2010 she joined the team at Terry
White Chemists Fourways and as a
retail manager, led a team of 40 sta
to win the 2011 National Terry White
Chemists store of the year.
Emma is completing her Certicate
IV and has a passion for mentoring
sta members as she continues to
grow her career in pharmacy.
As the national winner, Emma will
take home terric prizes, including
$5,000 cash and professional
development with Guild Training to
the value of $5,100.
Finalists
All the fnalists were such inspiring people
Previous Next
30
PHARMACY REVIEW2012
!"#"$ &"'&(" )*+,
-.+,/- -01 +,"*$
2-$"$. +' !"#$%&
!""("# -+ 3'4$ ('2-(
5.+,/- 6'401-+*'0
1800 ASTHMA (1800 278 462)
asthmaaustralia.org.au
10% of people have asthma
1
Up to 90% of people with asthma
dont use their medications properly
2
We have some of the best asthma
clinical management guidelines in
the world but people with asthma
still experience a poorer quality of
life and comprised health outcomes.
This is particularly true for some more
vulnerable groups in the community
3

Asthma Foundation educators provide:
Support via the 1800 ASTHMA
(1800 278 462) national
information line and their online
and face to face services
Ideas for working in partnership
with your doctor and pharmacist
Information and instructional
videos about asthma and self
management
(asthmaaustralia.org.au)
Community education sessions
for people with asthma and their
carers
Training for schools, childcare
services, workplaces and other
community settings to become
Asthma Friendly.
Asthma Australia is also conducting an
Asthma Friendly Pharmacy Pilot study
with a view to offering this program
nationally in 2013.
Asthma Australia is the recognised
national community voice of
Australians with asthma and linked
conditions and their carers. It comprises
the Asthma Foundations from each
Australian state and territory working
together on national policy, advocacy
and programs and promoting research.
It is a national, nongovernment,
incorporated body with no political
afliations.
1 Asthma Snapshot aihw.gov.au
2 Bashiti IA, Armour CL, Bosnic-Anticevich SZ, Reddel HK.
Evaluation of a novel educational strategy, including inhaler
based reminder labels, to improve asthma inhaler technique.
Patient Educ Couns. 2008; 72: 26-33
3 Asthma Snapshot ibid.
Q
u
a
l
i
t
y

A
c
c
r
e
d
i
t
a
t
i
o
n
In 2012, 91 per cent of
community pharmacies
in Australia are
accredited by Quality
Care Pharmacy
Program (QCPP).
This represents an increase from
88 per cent in July 2011 following
the introduction of the Pharmacy
Practice Incentives (PPI) as part
of the 5th Community Pharmacy
Agreement. Community pharmacy
has accepted PPI as a key process
to assist them to support delivery
of more professional services. QCPP
accreditation ensures that the
delivery of PPI priority areas
is in accordance with the
requirements of a quality
framework.
What is accreditation?
Accreditation is now recognised
as an essential driver of consumer
safety and continuous quality
improvement across all industries
and businesses. Health care,
including pharmacy, is no exception.
Pharmacies accredited under
QCPP have been assessed against
Australian Standard 85000:2011
Quality Care Pharmacy Standard.
This is a quality management
system for pharmacies enabling
them to meet expected standards
of professional service and
customer care.
The two conditions for accreditation
are an explicit denition of quality
(i.e. standards) and an independent
review process aimed at identifying
the level of congruence between
practices and quality standards.
Benets of accreditation
Accreditation is now a well-
recognised measure of a high
performing business that the
community is seeking; not only a
statistical measure, but also providing
advertisement to the community
of a safe and ecient organisation
or business
opportunities for peer review
processes to be undertaken
nancial benets
an excellent opportunity to
celebrate achievements and
improvements whilst providing
a platform to identify further
opportunities for improvement.
Accreditation is just good
business.
When asked why QCPP accreditation?,
pharmacy feedback includes
QCPP has inspired our pharmacy
to provide the highest quality of
service to our customers resulting
in not only foot trac, but happier
customers, Garrick Stevenson,
Ararat Healthwise Pharmacy,
Victoria
QCPP creates a benchmark of
service we need to maintain and
in all cases try to exceed. It gives
the pharmacy direction, structure,
consistency, and professionalism,
Rachel Miller, Beenleigh Medical
Chemmart Pharmacy, Queensland
It provides structure, encourages
uniformity in how things are done
resulting in better quality service
received by the customer and
improves workow, Celia Milander,
Figtree Plaza Chemist, NSW.
Comparison of accreditation
models
There are standards and accreditation
requirements through all phases of
pharmacy. Pharmacy schools must
be accredited in order to deliver
a pharmacy degree that will be
recognised by the Pharmacy Board
of Australia. Training providers
oering intern programs must be
accredited. CPD providers can also
seek accreditation for their education
activities via an accredited CPD
accreditor (e.g. Pharmacy Guild) and
consultant pharmacists must achieve
accreditation to deliver medicine
management services.
Currently within the health industry
alone there are several dierent
accreditation models across a
multitude of sectors. Other models
include
Aged Care Sector: assessment
against aged care standards and
regulations
Australian Physiotherapy
Association (APA): assessment
against practice standards in
physiotherapy
General Practitioner Services:
accreditation standards maintained
by the Royal Australian College for
General Practitioners that may
provide access to the GP Practice
Incentive Program.
Each provides dierent techniques,
benets and outcomes. Unlike most
models, QCPP also provides extensive
supporting tools to assist pharmacies
successfully achieve accreditation
status.
Quality matters
Make every day accreditation day!
Now that QCPP accreditation is an accepted part of community pharmacy
practice, our goal is to sustain the improvements and ensure the level of
service provided at the time of accreditation is the same every day. QCPP
accreditationits just good business!
Next
!"#$%
&
(&")* +&*#"
Staying safe and well with
asthma for people with asthma
and their carers
!"#$%&
,- .$)/0" #1
!"2 3 .455 6178
91*#18
!"#$%
&
:
4;)*&#)1/"
3 94<)*4"
A guide to help people
with asthma
!"#$%
&
.$)/0" #1 !"2
3 .455 6178
=$&8%
&*)"#
11/10/12 7:09 PM
AA Pharmacy Ad 1012.indd 1
32
PHARMACY REVIEW2012
31
PHARMACY REVIEW2012
P
r
i
c
e

D
i
s
c
l
o
s
u
r
e
2012 has been a watershed year
for the Pharmaceutical Benets
Scheme (PBS). The Governments
Memorandum of Understanding
with Medicines Australia, signed
in 2010, bore fruit in April with the
largest set of price reductions in
the history of the scheme. In the
same month, the expiry of Pzers
atorvastatin patent resulted in
more savings through a 16 per
cent price reduction which also
owed to rosuvastatin. This has
lifted the generic market to a new
level of competition. In the short
term this provides some much-
needed cushioning for community
pharmacy at a time when many
are struggling with high rents,
low script volume growth and
low consumer demand. In the
next twelve months, the entry of
generics for atorvastatin (as well
as other signicant drugs such as
venlafaxine) will also result in a new
wave of savings for the Government
through price disclosure.
In May, the Commonwealth Budget
showed that, compared to the
estimates released in the 2011 Budget,
estimates of future expenditure
had reduced by $2.1 billion over the
four years to 30 June 2015, taking
into account spending on drugs
across the General, Concessional
and Repatriation categories (see
graph). No new savings measures
were implemented in between;
Treasury simply got it wrong in 2011.
Unfortunately they continue to get it
wrongmore on that shortly.
Since the May budget, the PBS
news has been even better from
a government point of view. The
Guild estimates that price reductions
announced for 1 December 2012
most signicantly on atorvastatin,
rosuvastatin and docetaxelwill
result in a further saving of over $250
million per year.
The reductions to atorvastatin and
rosuvastatin come as a result of
an oer to government from an
unnamed manufacturer. Docetaxel
is another example of the windfall
savings that the Government
continues to receive from the eect
of price disclosure on chemotherapy
drugs. Including docetaxel, seven
chemotherapy drugs will have had
price cuts totalling 70 per cent or
more since the introduction of price
disclosure, with another ve dropping
by between 50 per cent and 70 per
cent. If Treasury has their gures so
wrong from one year to the next, you
can guarantee that they had never
factored in these chemotherapy drug
savings.
Governments all around the
world have implemented budget
measures to reduce the cost of o-
patent medicines. Overall, Australias
price disclosure system strikes the
right balance.
First and foremost it maintains patient
choice and allows a competitive
market. Once the competitive market
is established for an o-patent drug,
the Government transfers the benets
of that competition through to
taxpayers and this is repeated on an
annual cycle. It is a fair system and is
fully transparent, with the results of all
calculations publicly released.
Price Disclosure Delivers:
when will Treasury catch on?
Price disclosure has
worked for the
Government and
consumers so far,
and will continue
to work into
the future.
P
r
i
c
e

D
i
s
c
l
o
s
u
r
e
In the Guilds view, which is shared by
all in the industry, the Governments
budget forecasts continue to
underestimate the savings that will
ow from price disclosure. Put another
way, they continue to overestimate
future expenditure on the PBS.
Nowhere is this better illustrated than
the $2.1 billion downward revision
between the 2011 and 2012 Budgets.
More recently there was further
evidence with the release of the
Department of Health and Ageings
2012 annual report. The Departments
2011-12 nancial year target for
savings, as a result of price disclosure
(excluding the 1 April 2012 Expanded
and Accelerated Price Disclosure
round), was $62.0m. The annual report
shows that the actual savings realised
in 2011-12 were almost double that
target, at $112.5m.
Not surprisingly, the 1 April 2012
Expanded and Accelerated Price
Disclosure round of savings did hit
the Departments target (within
about 1 per cent). This is because
the Medicines Australia MOU
had guaranteed an average price
reduction of at least 23 per cent,
which allowed Treasury to fully book
the savings rather than their usual
fancifully low estimates.
Unless Treasury loses its price
disclosure blind spot and allows
more realistic forecasting into the
future, their overestimate of future
PBS expenditure will continue. The
May 2012 Budget papers state that
PBS growth in 2011-12 and 2012-13
is lower than historical trends, but
that growth is expected to return to
its long-term trend of 5 per cent per
annum from 2013-14 onwards. With
price disclosure now having such a
signicant impact, how can Treasury
continue to justify a view that growth
will return to its long-term trend,
especially during the largest wave of
patent expiries the world has seen?
This denial of reality by the
ocialdom can have serious
consequences for the debate over
the future of the PBS. Arguments are
being formed based on an unrealistic
set of ocial estimates, and some
inuential groups fail to recognise
that. The extent of Treasurys failure
may also be unrecognised by the
Government itself, inuencing
spending decisions such as those
relating to the listing of new drugs
on the PBS.
Price disclosure has worked for the
Government and consumers so far,
and will continue to work into the
future. It is a permanent measure
delivering permanent, large scale
savings, driven by a healthy and highly
competitive market. In 2013, it is time
for Treasury to take a realistic view of
the savings that will be delivered in
coming years and to factor them into
the Governments ocial forward
estimates.
Tis denial of reality by the ofcialdom can have
serious consequences for the debate over the
future of the PBS.
Next Previous
34
PHARMACY REVIEW2012
In March 2012, for
the frst time, people
from urban, rural and
remote Australia were
brought together as
part of a QUMAX
and s100 joint forum.
Helping to Close the Gap
This an example of the work of a
partnership between government
and industry to Close the Gap,
and the groups involved are the
Pharmacy Guild of Australia, the
National Aboriginal Community
Controlled Health Organisation
(NACCHO), and the Department
of Health and Ageing.
Representatives of community
pharmacies and Aboriginal Health
Services were able to share their
experiences (through a number
of presentations and case studies),
build networks and hear from key
stakeholders. It also provided the
opportunity to suggest improvements
as to how pharmacy services could
be better delivered to Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander people.
During 2012, the Fifth Community
Pharmacy Agreement (5CPA) also
funded ve Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander students up to $15,000
per year to study pharmacy, and
provided access to 16 pharmacy
assistant traineeships. These programs
help to strengthen participation by
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders
in the pharmacy workforce, and in
turn ensure improved and more
culturally appropriate pharmacy
services to better meet local needs.
A number of programs provided
under the (5CPA) seek to increase
access to medicines and enhance
the quality use of medicines for
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
people.
Pharmacists play a critical role in
ensuring access to and quality use
of medicines in remote Aboriginal
communities.
Pharmacy Assistant Kerry Hudson (featured at right) from Portland in Victorias west has done what very few
Indigenous Australians have done before.
Kerry is a passionate health worker and has
become one of the rst in the State to complete
her training under the national Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander Pharmacy Assistant
Traineeship Scheme.
Indigenous Programs Manager from the Victoria
Branch, Stan Goma, said a pharmacy can at times
be perceived as culturally alienating for many
people in the Aboriginal community, something
Ms Hudsons presence has already helped change.
People as far as Heywood are saying its great
to go to the pharmacy and see Kerry there.
It also gives the pharmacy sta a better
understanding of the health needs of the
Aboriginal community, Mr Goma said.
Pharmacy owner and Guild member Brian Hardley agreed saying, Its been great having Kerry here to help strengthen
the working relationship with the Aboriginal health service and the community.
Success for Victorian Indigenous graduate
R
u
r
a
l

a
n
d

I
n
d
i
g
e
n
o
u
s

Next
beyondblue Clinical Practice Guidelines
A big step forward for mental health care in Australia
beyondblue has developed two sets of Clinical Practice Guidelines and
companion documents for the treatment and management of:
depression and related disorders in women in the perinatal period
depression in adolescents and young adults.
The Guidelines, approved by the NHMRC in February 2011, draw on the
latest high quality research evidence to provide Recommendations and Good
Practice Points that can be used to identify, treat and manage depression,
anxiety and related disorders.
The Guidelines, and suite of companion documents released this year, will
beneft general practitioners, psychiatrists, psychologists, mental health
professionals, nurses and primary health care workers.
To download or order resources visit www.beyondblue.org.au/guidelines
beyondblue training for aged care workers
Improving detection, diagnosis and management
Older people requiring help at home are twice as likely to experience
depression than more independent older people
1 in 3 older people living in residential care experience depression
Anxiety disorders are thought to be even more common than depression
in these groups.
beyondblue has responded by developing the Professional Education to Aged
Care (PEAC) Program for aged care staff.
The PEAC Program will help improve detection and management of
depression and anxiety disorders in both residential and community settings.
To enquire about beyondblue training through a program partner, visit
www.beyondblue.org.au/peac
Depression and anxiety information booklet
A comprehensive introduction to depression and anxiety
Depression and anxiety: an information booklet is a great starting point for
someone who wants to learn more about depression and anxiety.
It provides clear and comprehensive information on:
what the conditions are
common symptoms and how to recognise them
a depression checklist
how to get help for yourself or for someone you know
how to stay well
how to support and care for someone with depression or anxiety.
To download or order visit www.beyondblue.org.au/resources
Visit www.beyondblue.org.au Call 1300 22 4636 Email infoline@beyondblue.org.au
36
PHARMACY REVIEW2012
35
PHARMACY REVIEW2012
35
PHARMACY REVIEW2012
GuildLink had an exciting and
busy year! New name, realigning
of company structure with new
websites and new product launches.
GuildLink (previously known as
heathlinks.net) comprises two
divisions, Medicines Information and
Patient Care. Guided by the GuildLink
charter, the two divisions deliver
dierent services to pharmacy and
the healthcare industry. Whilst being
a commercial enterprise, GuildLinks
primary economic driver is to
provide information solutions to
facilitate the better use of medicines
and ultimately better health
outcomes for patients.
The Medicines Information division
provides a single point of distribution
of medicines information such as
Consumer Medicines Information
(CMIs), Product Information (PIs)
and drug images to healthcare
professionals and consumers
ensuring users have access to the
most current medicines information
at all distribution points. Medicines
Information distributes CMIs to
5,400 retail and hospital pharmacies,
and acts as a conduit between the
pharmaceutical companies, health
information providers, and consumers.
Over 45 health information providers
including the TGA, MIMs and AusDI
utilise our distributed CMIs and PIs.
Medicines Information delivers
unique and innovative solutions
including personalised CMIs at
the point of dispensing, synthetic
audio CMIs, large print CMIs, and
the provision for Braille CMIs.
Currently, CMI delivery to the point of
dispensing occurs on a monthly cycle,
with future developments providing
real time distribution to ensure that
the latest information is provided
to consumer.
The smart phone-friendly website,
www.medicines.org.au, was
established to support the National
Strategy for Quality Use of Medicine
with the ability to access the most
current CMI and PI documents in
dierent formats.
The Patient Care Division is
responsible for delivery of software
and professional programs to
pharmacies throughout Australia. The
Patient Care software platform known
as GuildCare is a purpose built, highly
sophisticated software program that
seamlessly integrates with dispensing
software.
Information and care from GuildLink
GuildCare pharmacies
have recorded over
two million completed
cases, which are
pharmacist-led
patient interactions.
The GuildCare oering encompasses
programs which assist pharmacies in
meeting their recording requirements
of the Fifth Community Pharmacy
Agreement (5CPA) and provide
quality, evidence based advice
supported by comprehensive reports
to their patients. To date, GuildCare
pharmacies have recorded over two
million completed cases, which are
pharmacist-led patient interactions,
with Clinical Interventions being the
most widely recorded.
In 2012, GuildCare expanded its
program range to assist pharmacy
with the 5CPA Medication
Management program requirements
with the addition of MedsCheck
Services Module and Home Medicines
Review Module. As Medicare
approves pharmacies to deliver the
MedsCheck services, GuildCare can
see a growing uptake with completed
cases already in the thousands.
In 2013, GuildCare will be working
with pharmacy to expand the suite of
programs in other categories that will
assist pharmacies in improving patient
health outcomes in dierent disease
classications. Private Services, such
as recording and monitoring of Blood
Pressure will also gain new modules,
which will enable pharmacies to
record more services that they already
provide within their pharmacy.
GuildCare looks forward to 2013
with plans already in place to oer
pharmacies new and exciting
software solutions in their pharmacy.
Look out for our new products
scheduled to launch at APP 2013.
To read more about divisions of
GuildLink visit our new website
www.guildlink.com.au
I
n
f
o
r
m
a
t
i
o
n

a
n
d

C
a
r
e
Te Research and
Development Program,
as part of Fifth
Community Pharmacy
Agreement, continues
to be regarded as a
major source of funding
for pharmacy practice
research in Australia.
The Program generates a
signicant body of knowledge
and helps establish Australia as an
international leader in the eld.
The aim of the Program is to fund
projects that will contribute to
maintaining and improving the
health outcomes of Australians.
This is achieved through studying
evidence-based best practice
on issues relating to community
pharmacy and the provision of
quality services to consumers.
The current health environment has
a strong emphasis on positioning the
consumer at the centre of healthcare
delivery. With the increasing role of
the pharmacist in promoting good
health, the willingness and the ability
of the consumer to make use of the
services provided by community
pharmacists is paramount.
Therefore, under the 5CPA, all research
projects have a strong consumer
focus, such as
A project focused on Consumer
Needs aims to develop a better
understanding of consumer
preferences, expectation and needs
in context of community pharmacy
and the responsiveness of
community pharmacy to these
factors
A project focused on Chronic
Illness seeks to fully explore the
perspective of health consumers
about the burden of chronic
disease, related treatment regimes,
their desire in terms of patient
centered care and the related role
of community pharmacy
Focusing research on consumers
A project focused on Mental
Health aims to explore the role
of community pharmacy in
supporting people with common
mental illnesses such as depression
and anxiety to better manage
their medicines
A project focused on Health
Literacy aims to undertake
research in health literacy and the
role community pharmacy can play
in improving consumer outcomes
through tailored communication
of health information
A project focused on Professional
Collaboration aims to identify a
best practice model for the
integration of community
pharmacists in the primary health
care setting. Given the model
for primary health care in patient
centricity, a consumer-centred
approach is essential. This project
not only explores the needs and
expectations for collaborative care
from a health professionals
viewpoint, but seeks to understand
consumers needs in this regard.
There are already some preliminary
ndings of various projects available.
They can be accessed on the 5CPA
Research & Development website at:
www.5cpa.com.au/research
R
e
s
e
a
r
c
h
Next Previous
38
PHARMACY REVIEW2012
37
PHARMACY REVIEW2012
37
PHARMACY REVIEW2012
Update
In December 2010 the Committee
advised the Guild that Health
Ministers endorsed the retention of
the two OTC schedules for a 5-year
interim period during which time
all available evidence would be
considered. The ongoing structure
of the OTC medicines schedules will
be reviewed by 2015 taking into
consideration
evidence supplied by the Guild and
other sources
the need to ensure appropriate
access to medicines
the wider workforce reforms being
undertaken under the National
Registration and
Accreditation
Scheme for
the Health
Professions.
In addition to considering the
Guilds Mystery Shopper data, there
is particular interest in looking at
how pharmacy interventions in the
supply of OTC medicines impacts on
health outcomes and to what extent
community pharmacy value adds in
the sale of OTC medicines.
What are the public risks?
Medicines are not normal items
of commerce. If used incorrectly
or inappropriately, they have the
potential to do signicant harm.
Given the generally low level of
health-literacy for Australians,
access to pharmacist advice for OTC
medicines provides protection for
consumers. This is particularly so for
the more vulnerable groups such
as children, the elderly, those from
poorer socioeconomic backgrounds
or those who do not speak or
understand English well. The high
prevalence of poly-pharmacy
also warrants consideration by a
pharmacist to ensure there are no
interactions between any prescribed,
complementary or OTC medicines.
A research project funded by the
Australian Government under the
Fourth Community Pharmacy
Agreement identied that the
majority of consumers want
advice about OTC medicines
to be available at the time of
purchase.
OTC Medicines use them well or lose them
O
T
C

M
e
d
i
c
i
n
e
s
In 2001, the nal report of the National
Competition Policy Review of Drugs, Poisons and
Controlled Substances Legislation (the Galbally
Review) examined federal, state and territory
legislation regulating medicines and poisons
against national competition principles.
One of the recommendations from the Galbally
Review was to investigate the costs and benets of
retaining both Schedule 2 and Schedule 3 over-the-
counter medicine schedules or combining them
to make one schedule with new criteria. Over the
past decade, the National Coordinating Committee
on Therapeutic Goods (NCCTG, the Committee)
has reviewed available evidence relating to this
recommendation and has advised Australian Health
Ministers on this issue. To date, this advice has mainly
been based on data supplied by the Guild through
its QCPP Mystery Shopper program and research
undertaken in the Fourth Community Pharmacy
Agreement.
Pharmacy (Schedule 2) Medicines and Pharmacist
Only (Schedule 3) Medicines are commonly referred
to as over-the-counter or OTC medicines. In the
case of Pharmacy Medicines, the current scheduling
system and state and territory legislation is set up
to ensure consumers have access to pharmacist
advice if needed at the time of purchase. The
additional requirement of the direct involvement
of the pharmacist in the supply of Pharmacist Only
Medicines is designed to ensure their safe and
appropriate use. This system has been in operation
for decades, providing easy access by Australians
to eective medicines which could otherwise
require a prescription.
What are the risks for Community
Pharmacy?
If community pharmacy is unable
to demonstrate the added value it
provides by managing the supply of
OTC medicines, there is a signicant
risk that when reviewed in the future,
the OTC scheduling system may be
completely revised by
1. Removing the Pharmacy Medicine
category and retaining a modied
Pharmacist Only Medicine category,
resulting in a likely scheduling
exemption for a signicant number
of current Pharmacy Medicines,
allowing them to be sold as open
sellers through the grocery sector
from retailers such as supermarkets,
service stations or corner shops, OR
2. Removing the Pharmacist Only
Medicine category and retaining
a modied Pharmacy Medicine
category, with a likely result of
a signicant number of current
Pharmacist Only Medicines being
up-scheduled and requiring a
prescription for supply, OR
3. Removing both Pharmacy
Medicine and Pharmacist Only
Medicine categories, creating a
system similar to that in the USA
where medicines are either
restricted to prescription and
supply through a pharmacy, or
available as open sellers through
the grocery sector.
1. Implement a store-wide protocol
such as Ask, Assess, Advise for
managing requests for Pharmacy
Medicines and Pharmacist Only
Medicines
2. Ensure all sta are trained in
following the protocol and know
when to refer to the pharmacist
3. Train sta to ask strategic questions
so that consumers do not feel like
they are being grilled or that
they are criminals if they request
a Pharmacist Only Medicine
4. Ensure pharmacists are actively
involved in managing requests for
Pharmacist Only Medicines
5. Consider employing a pharmacist
dedicated to front-of-shop
services including the supply of
OTC medicines; there would be
many advantages in having a
trained health care professional
dedicated to assist with all
professional services outside
the dispensary
6. Documenting situations regarding
OTC medicines where intervention
by the pharmacist has or is likely to
have an impact on the consumers
health outcome, such as identifying
a potential drug interaction.
The Guild will continue working
with stakeholders to highlight the
value in supplying OTC medicines
from community pharmacies and
to raise consumer awareness about
the need for pharmacy sta to ask
questions as part of community
pharmacys professional
responsibility.
Retention of both OTC schedules
requires pharmacists to supply OTC
medicines in a professional manner
with consideration of the consumers
health needs rst and foremost.
Barry Schultz Medal
The presentation of the Barry Schultz Medal took place in Adelaide in September, at a function attended by Barrys
family, Guild ocials and many friends and colleagues of Barry.
The winner of the inaugural Medal is Peter Halstead, the general manager of the Pharmacy Regulation Authority of South
Australia, with previous experience as an academic, and 15 years as a community pharmacist. In all of these roles, Peter has
gone out of his way to help pharmacy students make the leap from student to intern and beyond.
Barry Schultz was a valued member of the local branch and made an equally signicant and memorable contribution at
the national level as a National Councillor. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal in 2005, and the Guilds highest
honour, Honorary Life Membership in 2009. Barry passed away last year.
O
T
C

M
e
d
i
c
i
n
e
s
Call to Action for Community Pharmacy
The current risk to the survival of the Schedule 2 and Schedule 3 categories is a
call to action for all community pharmacists and pharmacy sta. It is imperative
that all pharmacies have systems and procedures in place that ensure their
customers have access to the best professional pharmacy support when
purchasing scheduled medicines.
What can be done in individual pharmacies?
38
PHARMACY REVIEW2012 Previous Next
40
PHARMACY REVIEW2012
39
PHARMACY REVIEW2012
39
PHARMACY REVIEW2012
A key component
of the Australian
Governments National
Health Reforms has
been the establishment
of the nation-wide
network of Medicare
Locals. Medicare Locals
are primary health
care organisations
which are responsible
for coordinating the
delivery of primary
health care at a
regional level as well
as identifying and
addressing local health
care needs and service
gaps.
Medicare locals and community pharmacy
As of 1 July 2012, all sixty-one
Medicare Locals throughout
Australia were in operation.
Evolving from the Divisions
of General Practice, Medicare
Locals have a broader remit than
general practice and will become
increasingly involved in multi-
disciplinary primary health care
as well as integrated health care
across the dierent sectors, such
as acute care (hospitals) and aged
care. Community pharmacists are
essential members of the primary
health care team, providing
consumers with access to and
support for the safe and eective
use of medicines to improve health
outcomes.
Throughout 2012, The Guild has
responded to many consultations and
attended national and local meetings
to ensure community pharmacy
is recognised as an important and
necessary part of primary health care
in Australia during the establishment
of Medicare Locals. This has resulted
in a number of Medicare Locals
engaging with community pharmacy.
A number of community pharmacists
have also been successful in being
elected to governance and/or
advisory bodies for various
Medicare Locals.
Howdo Medicare Locals operate?
Medicare Locals are independent
organisations rather than government
bodies, formed from partnerships of
local organisations and professionals.
While each Medicare Local may
operate dierently to manage and
respond to local health needs, they
will each need to address criteria
set by the Australian Government
and perform to a national standard.
Medicare Locals will operate at a
strategic level, coordinating the
multidisciplinary involvement of
regional health care providers,
including community pharmacy.
Pharmacies adding value
As Medicare Locals take on the
responsibility and challenges for
meeting the health needs of their
local area, they will want to fully utilise
the available primary health care
workforce. Community pharmacists
are the most accessible of all health
care professionals, and are supported
by a network of trained pharmacy
assistants.
Community pharmacies are
well-established health service
destinations, providing an
opportunity for Medicare Locals to
capitalise on an existing infrastructure
to implement programs and services.
Every day, 400,000 Australians visit
the network of 5,000-plus community
pharmacies for health or medical
services and advice, making the
community pharmacist one of the
most frequently used providers of
primary health care. On average,
Australians visit a community
pharmacy 14 times a year. Visits may
be even more frequent for people
with chronic illnesses who require
regular prescription rells and
associated services.
People of all ages use the community
pharmacy to purchase non-
prescription and complementary
medicines, as well as rst-aid, skin
care or baby care needs. Community
pharmacy is often the gateway to
other primary health care providers.
M
e
d
i
c
a
r
e

L
o
c
a
l
s

a
n
d

C
o
m
m
u
n
i
t
y

P
h
a
r
m
a
c
y
Community pharmacies operate
in all regions of Australia, including
rural and remote, providing Medicare
Locals with an ideal opportunity to
service and support people who may
not otherwise have regular access to
health care providers. Options exist
for utilising or extending existing
pharmacy services such as general
health monitoring or screening
for particular health conditions.
Similarly, many pharmacies provide
services to support people with
self-management of conditions such
as diabetes or asthma. They also
assist with wellness and prevention
programs such as weight control or
smoking cessation as well as being
supply outlets for items such as
continence or diabetes supplies.
Medicinesthe good and
the bad!
Medicines are one of the most
common health treatments for
Australians, and if used correctly
and appropriately, can deliver cost-
eective health outcomes for the
consumer and the health system as
a whole. Community pharmacies are
the custodians of the Pharmaceutical
Benets Scheme (PBS), which provides
high-quality, eective and aordable
medicines to Australians, no matter
where they live, and in a timely
manner.
But the use of medicines can also
come at a cost. In 2002, it was
estimated that 1.5 million Australians
experienced adverse medicine events
annually. More recent reports have
estimated up to 5.6 per cent of all
hospital admissions and over 30 per
cent of admissions for the elderly are
associated with adverse medicine
events.
Costs have been estimated at a
staggering $660 million a year, with
over half of these admissions said to
be avoidable. Community pharmacies
provide a number of services that
support the Quality Use of Medicines
and minimise adverse outcomes.
Poor adherence to medicines also
results in poor health outcomes.
Reports released at the recent
International Pharmaceutical
Federation (FIP) Centennial
Congress in Amsterdam indicated
that medication non-adherence
accounts for 57 per cent of
avoidable health costs.
This is why the Guild has so
strongly supported systems and
IT enablement within community
pharmacy to help pharmacists
improve the medication adherence
for their patients.
In addition to engaging with and
utilising community pharmacies to
achieve common goals, Medicare
Locals should nd that the inclusion
of community pharmacists on their
governance and/or advisory bodies
provides opportunities for greater
multi-disciplinary team care. This is
likely to improve the Quality Use of
Medicines within their region as well
as forging strong partnerships in
achieving cross-sector goals such as
reducing hospital admissions due to
medicine misadventure or supporting
people to live independently within
the community through the provision
of Dose Administration Aids and
Home Medicines Reviews.
Community pharmacists should
get involved!
It is incumbent on community
pharmacists to get involved. As
the Medicare Local must plan for
integrated local health service
delivery, the role community
pharmacy plays must be promoted
and considered in every health
service model of care in which the
eective and safe use of medicines is
considered important.
The Guild encourages all community
pharmacists to become actively
involved in their Medicare Local to
ensure that community pharmacy
is recognised, and that the public
benets from the experience
and expertise of the community
pharmacy sector, through eective
collaborative health care coordinated
by the Medicare Local.
At the end of 2012 and at the
beginning of 2013, the Guild
and the Department of Health
and Ageing are working
together to ensure community
pharmacists make the most of
the technology that facilitates
the Electronic Transfer of
Prescriptions (ETP), allowing
each and every pharmacist to
Be a leader in innovation.
There is provision for free
information sessions, workshops,
on premises visits, assistance to
sign on, and resources.
Pharmacist evolved as the rst
computerised health profession,
embracing connectivity through
broadband for health. Integrating
ETP will allow the next step in the
eHealth journey.
Look for the eHealth section at
www.5cpa.com.au
Leader of innovation
M
e
d
i
c
a
r
e

L
o
c
a
l
s

a
n
d

C
o
m
m
u
n
i
t
y

P
h
a
r
m
a
c
y
Next Previous
42
PHARMACY REVIEW2012
41
PHARMACY REVIEW2012
41
PHARMACY REVIEW2012
The work by the Guild to develop
these Guidelines has encompassed
both the legal framework which
governs leasing arrangements
for pharmacy premises as well as
identifying commercial issues which
can arise in retail leasing agreements.
Because of the unique position of
community pharmacy in Australia,
the law in a number of states and
territories aords protection to
pharmacy businesses which is not
available to other retail businesses.
The Guild has been able to develop
some practical suggestions for
members in dealing with their
landlords. In particular, the Guidelines
focus on the reporting of turnover
gures to landlords.
The vibrant, changing world of community pharmacy continues to produce
new challenges for businesses striving to remain competitive and viable.
The Guild continues to take a lead role in commissioning rental reports
and developing guidelines to assist community pharmacy owners, aspiring
owners, and landlords to better understand the legal context as well as some
of the commercial realities facing the highly regulated community pharmacy
sector. Community pharmacies and landlords have a manifestly symbiotic
relationship: they need each other, and therefore they need to understand
each other.
It is a simple fact that in some locations, landlords are earning more from a
pharmacy than the owner is earning. It is also a truism of our industry that
pharmacy is a price taker, with most prices controlled by the Government, and
pharmacy unable to pass on any increased costs (such as rent) to consumers.
Rents are a signicant and increasing cost for community pharmacy, and a cause
of constant concern for some businesses as they struggle to remain viable in a
dicult market. Generally, occupancy costs are the third highest expense in a
pharmacy business, after cost of goods sold and sta salaries.
One aspect of rent and lease arrangements that has caused confusion for many
pharmacists and landlords over recent years has been the reporting of turnover
as part of a tenants responsibility under a commercial shopping centre lease.
The laws relating to pharmacy owners and so-called turnover rent are quite
specic and unique to pharmacy. And as usual in Australia they vary considerably
from state to state, and in the territories.
To further inform and keep pharmacy owners up to date with the latest retail
leasing developments in our industry, the Guild launched a very useful new
document this year titled Turnover Rent and Reporting Turnover to Landlords:
Pharmacy Guidelines .
The document sets out very clearly that although few pharmacies have leases
that contain a turnover rent provision, it is common for leases to require
pharmacy owners to report monthly sales results to the landlord. As the
guidelines state, landlords often justify provisions requiring the supply of
turnover gures on the basis that turnover gures are needed to establish the
eectiveness of shopping centre marketing, for portfolio analysis or to report to
shareholders. However, this information can also be used by landlords to drive
rents upward.
A particular issue for pharmacy businesses is that current discrepancies in the
way sales results are reported provide landlords with inaccurate indicators which
can be manipulated to establish a case for higher rents.
Guidelines on retail leasing and reporting turnover
Pharmacy owners are
entitled to ensure any new
lease agreements comply
with the relevant legislative
requirements in relation
to pharmacy ownership
and pecuniary interest and
to also carefully consider
and seek expert advice
before agreeing to supply
turnover gures to their
landlords in any new lease
arrangement.
R
e
t
a
i
l

L
e
a
s
i
n
g
Te Pharmacy Guild
of Australia is dedicated
to developing new
leaders in pharmacy
and empowering
these leaders with
the skills, information
and professional
networks needed to
be leaders in the
primary health care
system and owners
of community
pharmacies.
Pharmacy leaders and owners
That is why the Guild continues to establish networks and undertake
activities to promote ownership and leadership to aspiring pharmacists.
One of the longest standing Guild initiatives is the National Student
Business Plan Competition. This Australia-wide challenge promotes creative
entrepreneurship among students preparing for a career in community
pharmacy. Developed in 2006 by the Guild to promote innovation and
excellence in the community pharmacy environment, the National Student
Business Plan Competition is credited with helping students to gain valuable
experience, not only in demonstrating the nancial viability of their plan, but
also how they will capture market share, pay and manage sta, manage capital
and achieve return on investment.
Now in its fth successful year, this initiative continues to receive wide acclaim
and patronage from student pharmacists and pharmacy schools. In 2012
the competition was supported by continued sponsorship from Blackmores
(principal sponsor), Gold Cross Products and Services, and Pharmaceutical
Defence Limited (PDL).
With the catch cry Make your mark: show us your future, the 2012 competition
was the most successful to date attracting 18 entries.
The nals of the 2012 competition were held at the Pharmacy Business Network
(PBN) in Canberra, with the winners announced and showcased at the PBN
Gala dinner.
This years winning team Complete Care Pharmacy from the University of
South Australia centred their business in the Riverland regional town of Berri
SA. They talked to Guild member and National Councillor Nick Panayiaros
about pharmacy business conditions in the Riverland, discussed service gaps
and consumer needs with Flinders Centre for Innovation in Cancer, as well as
individuals living with cancer and tested their business plan concepts with
pharmacists across Australia.
One of the teams mentors (and fellow pharmacy student) was Suzanne Schultz,
daughter of the late Barry Schultz. Suzanne said of her involvement with
the team.
Like any good coach I am incredibly proud of what our team could achieve
with little background knowledgewe worked really, really hard to learn
and adapt during the competition.
We had world class mentors in pharmacy, academia and business. We
presented a real and innovative approach to pharmacy-based cancer services
to nearly 180 pharmacists, who could implement those ideas immediately.
Being part of this competition gave me a chance to showcase SA and UniSA,
and to support the Guild, and contribute to community pharmacy and my
fellow students. These young people are demonstrating what it takes to
positively lead pharmacy into the future.'
42
PHARMACY REVIEW2012
L
e
a
d
e
r
s

a
n
d

O
w
n
e
r
s
Previous Next
44
PHARMACY REVIEW2012
Its been a big and busy year for
the Academy.
Mid-year, Melbourne community
pharmacist and prominent Guild
member, Anthony Tassone was
appointed as the new National
Director of the Guild Pharmacy
Academy. Anthony has had an
active role with the Guild for
many years as a Victorian Branch
Committee member. He joined
the Academy as the National
Professional Development
Manager and rst began acting
in the Director role in March.
In his time as acting Director,
Anthony made very positive
contributions to the development
of the Academy and has continued
to do so in the role.
In the past year, the myCPD online
learning platform of the Academy
has now grown to have over 7,500
registered users accessing online
learning and having CPD records
kept on the site.
The platform is experiencing
signicant upgrades to provide
a much more user-friendly and
streamlined experience for online
learning and CPD recording plus
learning about upcoming
Guild events.
It was released in late October 2012.
The Guild is a Registered Training
Organisation (RTO) and is proud to
announce that it received extension
of its registration with the Australian
Skills Quality Authority (ASQA)
for another ve years, with a very
positive audit report.
It is testament to the high quality
training and education service that
the Guild delivers to pharmacy
assistants through its state and
territory branch network across
Australia. Therefore, the Academy
will soon be unveiling an online
induction unit for newly-employed
or prospective pharmacy assistants
to assist in their learning about the
value of community pharmacy, their
important role, medicine scheduling,
the Quality Care Pharmacy Program,
and the role of the Guild. The unit will
be an invaluable tool as a resource
for induction, and also provide
prospective candidates looking for
employment as a pharmacy assistant
initial learning and understanding of
the community pharmacy industry.
Also this year, the Academy, in
partnership with some of the state
branches of the Guild, continues to
build on its Intern Training Program
(Guild ITP) for intern pharmacists
in Queensland, New South Wales,
Tasmania, and as of 2012, Western
Australia.
The Guild ITP is designed to make
interns employment ready, ensuring
they receive a solid grounding in
professional services as part of the Fifth
Community Pharmacy Agreement. It is
a high quality program that addresses
the latest in clinical and business
management knowledge. It will not
only make candidates employment
ready for community pharmacy, but
also meet the needs of members of
Guild as prospective employers.
A big one for the Guild Pharmacy Academy
N
e
w

D
i
r
e
c
t
o
r
s
New Director for Tasmania
The Tasmanian Branch of the Guild has appointed Dr Greg Luckman as the Branchs new director. Many Guild
members will remember Greg from his time as Assistant Registrar for the Tasmanian Pharmacy Board from 2003 until
the introduction of the national registration scheme in 2010.
At that time, Greg transferred to the new organisation, the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA),
where he was the Director of Corporate and Board Services in the Hobart oce. At AHPRA Greg was responsible for
supporting the Tasmanian Boards and Committees as well as the running of the Tasmanian oce.
Greg was also Registrar of the Tasmanian Physiotherapy Board and has worked as a research scientist in the Agricultural
Science Department of the University of Tasmania where he gained his PhD, specialising in plant physiology.
Next
- .' / 012)345.4'2 43+ 4) ".6" 3.27 &8 %+9+5&:.'6 )#:+ ; %.4<+)+2
-
= >47+ )#:+ ; %.4<+)+2 :3+9+').&' 4 '4).&'45 "+45)" :3.&3.)#=
?49+ @.55.&'2 &8 5.9+2A 249+ @.55.&'2 &8 %&55432= B.4<+)+2 :3+9+').&' .2 4 2@43) .'9+2)@+')
;
= 012)345.4 '++%2 4 '4).&'45 %.4<+)+2
:3+9+').&' :3&634@ 81'%+% 4'% 21::&3)+% <# 455 6&9+3'@+')2= 0CD EF! )& @47+ )".2 "4::+'=
2$%& *3 04''3(* -.%/"*"0 '(")"&*.3&
G.2.) 55567"*0'(")"&*-.%/"*"063(86%4
C455 9:;; 9:< =>>
F' )*.))+3 ?-.%/"*"03@ ?AB!9,
-
!&37H+45)"= !&37H+45)" I"+I72J 2+5+I)+% 8.'%.'62 !&37H+45)" G.I)&3.4 ;K-- ***=*&37"+45)"=9.I=6&9=41= B&*'5&4%+% ; >4# ;K-;=
;
?"4* L MN%O %.4<+)+2J )"+ 2.5+') :4'%+@.I 4'% .)2 .@:4I) &' 012)345.4 ;K-; P47+3 QBQA B.4<+)+2 012)345.4A LBRS=
C"*D0 '(")"&* -.%/"*"0
Next
46
PHARMACY REVIEW2012
From 1 July 2012, the
national rollout of the
MedsCheck services
(MedsCheck and
Diabetes MedsCheck)
began and to date has
been a great success.
Both the MedsCheck and Diabetes
MedsCheck are quality use of
medicines initiatives which provide
for a pharmacist-conducted,
in-pharmacy review of consumers
who are taking multiple
medications and/or have newly
diagnosed or poorly controlled
type 2 diabetes.
A MedsCheck service aims to
identify problems that the
consumer may be experiencing
with their medicines
help the consumer learn and
understand more about their
medicines including how
medicines aect medical
conditions
improve the eective use of
medicines by the consumer
identify and implement strategies
to assist consumers with their
medication management.
These new services complement
the comprehensive medication
review programs such as Home
Medicines Reviews (HMRs) and
remain an essential part of the suite of
professional programs that pharmacy
can provide.
The natural evolution of the
established and proven HMR service
is focused on making sure the right
person gets the right service at the
right time based on clinical need.
October 2011 saw changes that
included
highlighting the importance of
the patients clinical needs at time
of referral
empowering the patient to choose
the most appropriate pharmacist
to interview them at home
enabling the doctor to refer
to either the patients preferred
community pharmacy or an
accredited pharmacist of the
patients choice.
The next step of the evolution is the
introduction of the hospital initiated
referral pathway. The changes address
evidence from the Fourth Community
Pharmacy Agreement which found
scope for more data collection and
improved targeting of the service.
The changes are consistent with
the National Medicines Policy,
acknowledging that relationships
between the patient and the
community pharmacist are important
when support is being provided to a
patient in their home.
It is well accepted that medication-
related problems are a signicant
contributor to morbidity, mortality
and health care resource utilisation.
A common interest of the Australian
Government and the Guild is
ensuring that positive health
outcomes are attained through the
ecient delivery of patient-focused
professional services and programs.
MedsCheck, Diabetes MedsCheck
and HMRs are representative of this.
Under the 5CPA the Australian
Government has provided
signicant investment in Medication
Management Services (up to $29.6
million for MedsCheck, up to $12.2
million for Diabetes MedsCheck, up
to $52.11 million for HMR and $70.0
million for Residential Medication
Management Review).
This funding provides for the
provision of medication management
services to be delivered through
community pharmacy and has
recognised the signicant role that
pharmacy can play in the delivery
of health care for consumers around
Australia. It also provides appropriately
remunerated and structured
programs for pharmacists to provide
patients with access to services that
support them to better manage
their medicines, reducing the risk of
medicine related adverse events and
hospitalisations.
Getting the most out of medicines
M
e
d
s
C
h
e
c
k
Next
MSC973
ASTHMA BUDDY
KEEP YOUR ASTHMA ON TRACK
Asthma Buddy is your easy to use,
take anywhere asthma action plan:
Simple instructions for
managing your asthma
A reminder of your regular
asthma medications
Advice on what to do if
your asthma is getting worse
Complete with quick access to
First Aid for Asthma steps plus the
National Asthma Council Australia
library of videos on how to use inhalers.
The interactive iPhone app for your
written asthma action plan.
For more information go to
www.nationalasthma.org.au/asthmabuddy
The Asthma Buddy app is based on the latest written asthma action plan template,
revised and updated in 2011 by the National Asthma Council Australia
in consultation with leading respiratory clinicians.
MSC973 Asthma Buddy_iPhone App Poster_Patients.indd 1 24/08/12 4:53 PM
48
PHARMACY REVIEW2012
In a fascinating new survey
published in October, Australians
expressed the highest level of
satisfaction with pharmacists
when asked about their most
recent visit to a range of
health care services.
Pharmacists scored 89 per cent
and were followed in the rankings
by nurses in general practice and
private hospitals (both at 85 per cent).
Despite being amongst the least
used services, residential aged-care
facilities rated the lowest with 54
per cent along with mental health
providers on 58 per cent.
Top scoring profession
The Menzies-Nous Australian Health
Survey 2012 provided key ndings
about the views held by Australians
on their own health, on the Australian
health care system and on aged-care
services. The 2012 survey is the third
biennial national survey conducted
by the Menzies Centre for Health
Policy and Nous Group.
The Australian Health Survey 2012
was conducted via a phone interview
of 1200 people in July 2012.
To enable analysis of trends since
2008, a number of questions
regarding the health of Australians
and use of the health care system
were consistently asked in 2008,
2010 and 2012.
Worth noting is the very high
proportion of Australians who use
pharmacy services broken into age
segments. The elusive age group in
relation to retail of 18 to 24 recorded
an 87 per cent use of pharmacy
services. The gure sits at 99 per cent
of those over 65.
Follow the link for more
www.menzieshealthpolicy.edu.
au/mn_survey/index.htm
Community pharmacy
should be congratulated
on how it responded
to the practice changes
in the supply of cough
and cold medicines
for children from 1
September 2012.
Coughs and coldsand kids
The changes came about after the
Therapeutic Goods Administration
advised that cough and cold
products
are not to be used for children
under 6 years of age
are to be used only on the advice of
a pharmacist or prescriber for
children aged from 6 to 11 years.
The labelling of aected products is
gradually being changed to reect
this advice. Cough and cold products
already in the market place can be
sold until supply of stock with the old
labelling is exhausted. Irrespective
of the labelling though, pharmacy
sta members are required to ensure
that supply of cough and cold
products is consistent with the new
recommendations.
The Guild is aware that many
pharmacists are indignant that while
the pharmacy sector has responded
to these changes, supermarkets
appear to be unaected and not
required to do anything.
While this may appear to be the
case, this issue demonstrates the
professionalism of community
pharmacy and provides a strong
argument for retaining the Schedule
2 Pharmacy Medicine category.
The Guild has and will continue to
ensure relevant Government bodies
are aware of the eort put in by
community pharmacy with these
types of changes.
The Guild collaborated with
Pharmaceutical Defence Limited (PDL)
and the Pharmaceutical Society (PSA)
in preparing a professional advisory
in response to a number of frequently
asked questions about the changes.
To access these resources and further
information about the changes,
community pharmacists can click on
Medicine & Pharmacy Practice Issues
under the Issues & Resources button
at www.guild.org.au
Consumers can also be directed to
www.askyourpharmacist.com.au
for further information on how to
manage coughs and colds in children.
Click on Hot topics and events.
C
o
u
g
h
s

a
n
d

C
o
l
d
s
Next
G
R
E
Y
3
3
4
2
9
GLUCOJEL
MEANS
BUSINESS
Still in the top ten when it comes to over-the-
counter pharmacy sales, and in pharmacy only.
And that means good business for you.
goldx.com.au
49
PHARMACY REVIEW2012
H
o
m
e

M
e
d
i
c
i
n
e
s

R
e
v
i
e
w
During 2012 there was
some concern expressed
in the industry about
the rising incidence
of Home Medicines
Reviews (HMRs) being
conducted in clinics and
surgeries, rather than
at a patients home as
intended under
the program.
A Home Medicines Review is
designed to assist individuals living
at home to maximise the benets of
their medicine regimen and prevent
medication related problems.
The Guild certainly supports the
views expressed by the president of
the Pharmaceutical Society, Grant
Kardachi, when he said: They are
not called Home Medicines Reviews
for nothing. If they were designed to
be conducted in a clinic they would
probably be called Clinic Medicines
Reviews.
The principal objective of an HMR
is to achieve safe, eective, and
appropriate use of medicines by
detecting and addressing medicine-
related problems.
Under the Fifth Community Pharmacy
Agreement, changes were made to
the HMR model from last October
which enable the GP to refer to either
the patients preferred community
pharmacy or directly to an accredited
pharmacist of the patients choice.
This change was consistent with
the National Medicines Policy, and
acknowledged that relationships
between the patient and the
pharmacist are important when
support is being provided to a patient
in their home.
Home is where the HMR is
The change was certainly not
intended to facilitate a growth in
HMRs routinely being performed
outside the home of the patient.
This trend is a threat to the ongoing
funding of HMRs and should be
discouraged as a breach of the
program guidelines.
HMRs are not intended to be
conducted in clinics and the
strength of the service is that they
are conducted in the patients home
where the pharmacist can review all
the medicines and devices available.
As the PSAs Guidelines state:
Best practice requires that all aspects
of the HMR service are conducted
by an accredited pharmacist in the
consumers home. There can be
genuine exceptions, in relation to
cultural or safety concerns, but they
should be rare.
Previous Next

Level 2, 15 National Circuit Barton, ACT 2600 PO Box 7036, Canberra Business Centre, ACT 2610 Australia
Telephone: + 61 2 6270 1888 Facsimile: + 61 2 6270 1800 Email: guild.nat@guild.org.au Internet: www.guild.org.au P
R
IN
T
P
O
S
T
A
P
P
R
O
V
E
D
P
P
2
3
3
7
4
4
/
0
0
0
6
5
Start