The South Australian Branch of the Pharmacy Guild of Australia welcomes the amendments to the State's COVID-19 Emergency Response legislation which appropriately recognise the vital role that community pharmacies are playing in the public health response to COVID-19.
The extension of the protections contained in the legislation to include community pharmacists and their staff as they serve the needs of patients through this crisis is indeed welcome.
The South Australian Branch has been advocating for this recognition for some time, but the Covid-19 emergency has further highlighted the critical role that frontline pharmacy staff have played in their communities.
Throughout this crisis, local pharmacies have been innovative and diligent in dealing with the challenges thrown at them by this pandemic, remaining open as much as possible to ensure patients' general health needs are met, including the dispensing of PBS medicines, and administering influenza vaccinations.
The South Australian Branch President of the Pharmacy Guild, Nick Panayiaris, thanked the Government for this much needed recognition and acknowledgement of community pharmacies as part of the state's frontline healthcare heroes.
"As pharmacists and their staff continue to do their vital work in the community, it is imperative that they have the full protection of the law against behaviour that is unacceptable. The idea that pharmacy staff would be abused or assaulted while doling their work is absolutely abhorrent and cannot be tolerated. This amendment gives notice to all in the community to respect the safety and rights of people working in pharmacies, all of whom are serving the community under difficult and sometimes confronting circumstances," Mr Panayiaris said.
