The state's first 24-hour pharmacy has helped more than 25,000 South Australians in Norwood and surrounding suburbs after-hours since opening round-the-clock a year ago.
National Pharmacies at Norwood was the first of three community pharmacies to open 24/7 as part of a Malinauskas Labor Government initiative to provide round-the-clock access to medicines and health advice and relieve pressure on busy emergency departments.
A fourth 24-hour pharmacy in the outer southern suburbs is also on the way.
Since opening 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week, on February 4 last year, National Pharmacies Norwood has dispensed more than 12,500 prescriptions after-hours, reporting that emergency asthma inhalers have been in high demand and Gen-X women and families among the most frequent visitors.
The pharmacy says Salbutamol inhaler (for asthma), antibiotics and pain relief are the medications in highest demand.
Its pharmacists also provided women with more than 70 consultations after-hours for Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) – a painful condition that affects 50 per cent of South Australian women and accounts for almost 9000 hospital emergency department presentations in SA each year.
The Government introduced UTI consultations via community pharmacies in March last year.
After-hour pharmacists at National Pharmacies Norwood received an average of 8.5 calls a night over the past year (3,119 in total), with most callers seeking advice on interactions between medications and treatment for minor ailments such as bites, rashes, burns, and gastroenteritis.
The State Government has invested $2.5 million a year to fund the 24-hour pharmacy initiative which is helping to reduce avoidable presentations to busy hospital emergency departments.
The three 24/7 pharmacies were selected through a competitive tender process and are located in northern, southern, and central Adelaide to provide the broadest access.
The other two – Chemist Warehouse at the Saints Shopping Centre in Salisbury Plain and Chemist Warehouse at Clovelly Park – began operating 24/7 in March last year.
Building on the success of and demand for these three pharmacies, the Government will deliver a fourth 24/7 pharmacy to be located in the Hallett Cove, Sheidow Park and Trott Park area to service the southern suburbs.
Like the existing round-the-clock pharmacies, this one will be selected through a competitive tender process.
The state's 24/7 pharmacies help to reduce avoidable presentations to busy hospital emergency departments by providing access to medicines, health advice and pharmacy services around the clock.
Until their introduction to SA, emergency departments and the Urgent Mental Health Care Centre were the only walk-in health services open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
At our 24/7 pharmacies, a pharmacist is on staff 24-hours-a-day to provide specialist health advice, dispense medicines and provide professional pharmacy services.
The Malinauskas Government is delivering a range of pharmacy initiatives to expand health care options for the community.
Work is currently underway to significantly extend pharmacists' scope of practice which will allow South Australians to attend a local pharmacy instead of having to go to a GP for treatment of a range of conditions including ear infections, wound management, gastro, acne, reflux and muscle and joint pain to boost access to fast, convenient healthcare.
It expands on the successful rollout of new pharmacy options that allow South Australian women to access medication for a urinary tract infection and a resupply of their oral contraceptive pill through a local pharmacy, without needing a doctor's appointment.
As put by Chris Picton
It's great that our first-ever 24-hour pharmacy has helped so many people in the eastern suburbs receive quick, professional health care when they need it close to home.
This service provides such convenience and reassurance for South Australians needing health advice or medicines in the middle of the night, while also keeping pressure off our busy hospital emergency departments.
Customer feedback indicates that around 20 per cent of visitors to our 24-hour pharmacies would have gone to an emergency department if the 24/7 pharmacy was not available.
We're excited to be opening a fourth 24-hour pharmacy soon.
As put by Member for Dunstan Cressida O'Hanlon
It's fantastic that more than 25,000 members of my community have been able to receive this valuable after-hours health care at their local pharmacy.
People get sick or need medicine at any time of day and night and it's so convenient to have a 24-hour pharmacy in the heart of our community.
I've used this excellent service myself several times, including during the recent public holiday, and it's a real game-changer to know we have this option available on our doorstep.
As put by National Pharmacies Chief Pharmacist Bec Rogers
Among those seeking help late at night, or early in the morning, were a new mum recently discharged from hospital with her baby, a parent needing antibiotics for a child's ear infection, and three flight passengers with missing luggage needing urgent prescriptions filled.
National Pharmacies' key purpose is to provide genuine care for people and we are proud to have assisted more than 25,000 people with essential access to after-hours pharmacy services and advice at a time when they needed it most.
We are not only serving our customers and members with greater access to community health care but are helping relieve pressure on our state's health system.
