Local pharmacist Shannon Eves has weighed in with other pharmacists around the country condemning the Federal Government’s proposed 60-day medicine dispensing policy as being unworkable.
“When I heard about the Labor Government’s plan to introduce 60-day dispensing, I can honestly say I was both devastated and angry,” Shannon said in a letter to John Mitchell Pharmacy customers.
“This is because I see the issues our small town already faces with access to appropriate and timely healthcare.
“Adding 60-day dispensing in will only further disadvantage us!” she said.
The Australian Government has proposed the 60-day dispensing of medicines to help ease the cost of living pressures and making hundreds of common medicines cheaper, by allowing millions of Australians to buy two months’ worth of medicine for the price of a single prescription.
According to the Department of Health and Aged Care, once fully implemented, the 60-day prescribing policy will provide doctors with the option to prescribe a two-month supply of more than 320 medicines on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) to Australians with stable, ongoing conditions.
The current dispensing limit is for a one-month supply only.
Shannon said the 60-day dispensing will bring about the end of community pharmacy as we know it.
“If this occurs, the medication supply issues we already face will increase; one person may get two months’ worth of their medications, but another person may not get any; we can’t guarantee we will receive more stock due to shortages already faced, not only in our town, but across the nation.
“There are several other issues that will arise if 60-day dispensing is implemented which greatly concern me, and all other healthcare providers. These include the potential for medication hoarding and wastage, potential for overdosing, and potential for missed identification of adverse side effects due to medications. This scares me for the sake and safety of our customers,” she said.
