Education ministers move to allow 'doctor' title to be extended to some pharmacists.
We were unpleasantly surprised this week by the news education ministers have made a decision to go ahead with changes to the Australian Qualifications Framework that will allow some pharmacists to use the title 'doctor'. This was done without consultation and shows an abject failure to consider the consequences for patients.
The title of any health professional is critical in helping patients understand the skills and expertise of the practitioner and can help inform and reassure patients about the quality of care they are receiving.
The inappropriate use of titles can cause confusion and even mislead patients, as has been the case with the title 'surgeon' which we have been fighting strongly to protect .
Pharmacists are of course an important part of the overall health system, but they are not doctors. For most patients there is no confusion about what the title 'doctor' refers to - that is, a trained medical practitioner. By extending this title to pharmacists patients risk being misled into thinking they are receiving care from a qualified medical practitioner, when in fact they may not.
This move is a concerning one especially considering the pharmacy sector's recent moves to hold itself out as being able to provide services that should only be provided by a real doctor. To muddy the waters is to further risk patient care and to diminish the role of general practitioners in delivering first class patient care.
We have a highly skilled GP workforce in Australia - doctors who have undertaken around ten to fifteen years of training and should always remain the first point of call for patients when they are unwell.
There will be some restrictions on how the title can be used and pharmacists with the new extended masters level qualification will need to make it clear that they are a Doctor of Pharmacy - nonetheless the potential to confuse patients is obvious.
