Political
Ruston slams Labor’s 60-day dispensing policy
Plans to commence implementation of double dispensing from 1 September looks like policy “on the run”, Senator Anne Ruston says Labor’s reliance on an impact analysis that failed to meet …
Double dispensing a breach of trust: Twomey
Trust between the government and community pharmacy is broken, Professor Trent Twomey, Pharmacy Guild of Australia national president believes Labor’s decision to push ahead with its plans for 60-day dispensing …
Kiwis drop NZD$5 script copay
July change will cost AUD$580.6m over four years, says NZ health minister The New Zealand government will remove its NZD$5 (AUD$4.69) copayment for prescription medicines, the country’s health minister Ayesha …
Double dispensing may not be as disastrous as portrayed
Impacts of 60-day dispensing may not be severe as owners forecast, Union leader says Community pharmacy staff are being urged to “remain calm” amid grim warnings about the sector’s future …
Students drop out over double dispensing: Guild
Concerns over the potential impacts of 60-day dispensing are pushing students to leave courses, the Pharmacy Guild of Australia’s Tasmanian branch president claims Pharmacy students are looking to transfer to …
New health head for Qld
There’s more work on improving access to vaccines via pharmacy for Queensland’s new health minister, says one pharmacy stakeholder Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has announced a “refreshed” Cabinet which sees …
‘We are playing with people’s lives’
Loyal staff members will see their hours cut, “at best” – as a result of the government’s double dispensing policy, a pharmacy owner warns Pharmacy owners will be forced to …
Rural owners fume over 60-day dispensing impact analysis
Shortcomings in the impact analysis used to support the government’s introduction of double dispensing could see rural patients’ medicines costs rise Far from cutting out-of-pocket expenses, 60-day dispensing could result …
$3.5b unlikely to arrest decline in bulk billing
GPs who have abandoned bulk billing are unlikely to be lured back by the government’s $3.5 billion incentive package Incentives designed to boost bulk billing rates are likely to be …
‘Pharmacists don’t clip the ticket’
Suggestions that pharmacists are seen as “retailers… clipping the ticket” and not health professionals, have infuriated pharmacists Minister for Finance, Senator Katy Gallagher, is being accused of enraging the entire …
60-day dispensing unlikely to impact supply: Sansom
Warnings of medicines shortages stemming from the introduction of double dispensing are unlikely to come to pass Australia’s medicines supply chain should be capable of meeting the change in demand …
Double dispensing impact analysis falls short of ‘good practice’
Impact analysis used to support the decision to introduce double dispensing would have benefited from more consultations with pharmacists, a bureaucrat believes An assessment of the impact analysis used to …