A public consultation is underway to shore up a national approach to pharmacist prescribing – including whether prescribing should be expanded to Schedule 8 medications.
The Pharmacy Board of Australia has moved to create a consistent approach in response to an increasing number of pharmacists prescribing scheduled medication in community and hospital pharmacies.
It is inviting feedback from health professionals, members of the public and professional organisations on a proposed national qualification standard. Currently each state and territory has different rules and education requirements for pharmacists who prescribe.
The proposal would see the introduction of a nationally consistent qualification that pharmacists would need to meet before prescribing.
The Endorsement for scheduled medicines for pharmacists would build on the skills pharmacists already have in gathering information, making recommendations, communication and advising on the best use of medicines, and options for treating minor ailments, the Board said in a statement.
The consultation presents two options for feedback:
- An endorsed pharmacist is qualified to administer, obtain, possess, prescribe, sell, supply and/or use Schedule 2, 3 and 4 medicines, in accordance with this standard and associated guidelines and relevant state and territory legislation for the purposes of practice of pharmacy.
- An endorsed pharmacist is qualified to administer, obtain, possess, prescribe, sell, supply and/or use Schedule 2, 3, 4 and 8 medicines, in accordance with this standard and associated guidelines and relevant state and territory legislation for the purposes of practice of pharmacy.
The Pharmacy Board has supported the second option.
Pharmacy Board of Australia Chair Dr Cameron Phillips said the proposal was not about whether or not pharmacists should prescribe medication, but about setting a consistent standard to ensure safety.
An endorsement cannot stop a pharmacist prescribing but instead sets out clearer rules on what pharmacists can or cannot prescribe.
“We want to make sure that if a pharmacist is prescribing, that they’re doing so safely and to the high standard the community expects of a trusted health professional,” he said.
“We want to hear from a broad range of voices. Consultation is critical to making sure any proposed standards support safe prescribing by pharmacists and works effectively within Australia’s healthcare system.”
Pharmacist prescribing has been a contentious topic among the medical community, with concerns around continuity of care and medication complications frequently raised.
In WA pharmacists can prescribe under the Enhanced Access Community Pharmacy Pilot (EACPP) program. The WA state government announced this week that 200 pharmacists would be supported to undergo subsidised prescribing training in the state.
Some 80 pharmacists are already undertaking the training, with one in three based in regional WA. The program allows pharmacists to diagnose and provide treatment for certain common health conditions.
RELATED: Expansion of pharmacist prescribing progresses despite GP concerns
The RACGP has been vocal about concerns relating to how conditions which may mimic others are dealt with, around antimicrobial resistance and the potential for unnecessary use of medication by a patient.
The Pharmacy Guild of Australia has previously outlined ambitions for pharmacists to be able to prescribe more medications, including Schedule 8 medications.
RELATED: Pharmacists want to prescribe Schedule 8 medications – GPs urge caution
Speaking at this year’s APP conference National President Professor Trent Twomey said the Guild was keen to establish a model that empowers pharmacists to work to the full extent of their training, skills and experience.
“The best model would allow qualified pharmacists to administer, obtain, possess, prescribe, sell, supply, review and/or use Schedule 2, 3, 4, and 8 medicines,” he said.
The consultation is open until 15 June. You can have your say on the proposal here.
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