Delivering Easier Access to Health Services at the pharmacy
- Queenslanders to gain easier access to medicines for common conditions.
- Community pharmacists to have certainty over their prescribing following two successful pilot schemes.
- Queenslanders can access safe treatments for conditions such as ear infections, acne, nausea, vomiting and more.
The Crisafulli Government is locking in Easier Access to Health Services at the pharmacy, allowing community pharmacists to prescribe some medicines for a range of common conditions.
Delivering on the Crisafulli Government plan to restore health services to Queenslanders no matter where they live, the services provided through the short-term Community Pharmacy Scope of Practice Pilot and the Community Pharmacy Hormonal Contraception Pilot will continue permanently.
Both pilots allow appropriately trained and authorised pharmacists to provide treatment and care for everyday health conditions such as ear infections, acne, school sores, eczema and mild psoriasis, nausea and vomiting, and contraception.
While some management programs for conditions such as cardiovascular disease, asthma symptom control and obstructive pulmonary disease will still be trialled until next year as originally planned, allowing for further evaluation and consultation.
Pharmacists must undergo additional training beyond the skills and qualifications they already possess to be authorised to deliver the services under the pilots.
Feedback has confirmed these services are increasing access for patients who otherwise might not have received the care they needed.
More than 135 community pharmacists from Cairns to the Gold Coast are taking part in the pilots.
Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Tim Nicholls said the permanent change was part of the Crisafulli Government's plan to help heal Labor's Health Crisis.
"Queenslanders will be able to visit their community pharmacy to receive safe care and treatment for everyday health conditions," Minister Nicholls said.
"This opens up another avenue for the community to receive the right care at the right time safely and effectively, which is at the core of our Easier Access to Health Services Plan.
"Participating pharmacies have delivered more than 1,700 services across both pilots with no safety concerns, which is testament to the dedication, skill and training of the pharmacists and checks and balances in place.
"To date, these pilots have generated strong interest from the pharmacy sector and work continues to expand the number of participating pharmacists and pharmacies."
