Media release – Jeremy Rockliff, Minister for Health, 23 March 2023
Cutting red tape: More vaccines available through your local pharmacy
The Tasmanian Liberal Government is cutting red tape by expanding the list of eligible vaccines that can be administered by a local pharmacist.
Tasmania’s pharmacist immunisers will now be able to administer selected vaccines not currently covered under the National Immunisation Program (NIP).
This includes a range of vaccines, including vaccines for shingles, and travel vaccines, when they have been prescribed by a medical or nurse practitioner.
In many cases, this will remove the need for Tasmanians to return to their medical practitioner to have the vaccine administered after it has been dispensed by a pharmacist, reducing the time spent by the patient and also reducing pressure on medical practitioners.
Premier and Minister for Health, Jeremy Rockliff, said this expansion is another example of how the Tasmanian Government is cutting more red tape in the health space and making it easier for Tasmanians to access health care.
“Under the previous guidelines, Tasmanians would need to visit their medical practitioners to receive a script, visit the pharmacist to collect the vaccine, and return to the medical clinic to have it administered,” the Premier said.
“We’re cutting this down to not only reduce pressure on our medical clinics but also save time for the patient. We know every minute counts for our health workers.
“We continue to progress new and innovative ways to make health more accessible and affordable for all Tasmanians and this is yet another example of that.
“Just a few weeks ago we saw the introduction of continued dispensing, allowing Tasmanians to access a one-off supply of their long-term medications – this is already seeing impressive results demonstrating that our Plan is working.
“We know how valuable the role of our skilled pharmacists is within our health system, and we will continue to work with them as we identify what other services they can safely provide to the community.”
This expansion of vaccines includes non-NIP vaccines approved for use by the Therapeutic Goods Administration, except those where specialised training, screening or regulatory conditions apply.
Some vaccines will continue to only be able to be administered by medical practitioners. The expansion does not include vaccines for tuberculosis, yellow fever, Q fever and mpox.
The broader scope of practice review is scheduled to be completed by June and will provide independent and evidence-informed advice to government on options to expand the pharmacists’ scope of practice.
Media release – AMA Tasmania, 23 March 2023
INCREASING PHARMACY SCOPE FAILS TO RECOGNISE THE CRITICAL ROLE OF GENERAL PRACTICE IN THE CARE OF THEIR PATIENTS
Comments can be attributed to Dr John Saul, President of AMA Tasmania:
Today’s announcement by the Premier and Minister for Health increasing pharmacy scope of practice before the government’s own review has been completed is premature and fails to recognise the critical role of GPs in the care of their patients.
Why the Minister of Health is undermining his own review into pharmacy scope of practice is beyond our comprehension.
AMA Tasmania, in good faith, is taking part in the review. Yet, decisions like this that expands pharmacist’s scope of practice undermine the integrity of that process.
It appears the government has made up its mind on the role of pharmacy, and good quality comprehensive patient care is a secondary consideration.
First and foremost, doctors are the best providers of medical care to patients. They are highly trained and use opportunities such as immunisations to pick up on other health complaints a patient may have or to encourage patients to keep up with other screening procedures like pap smears.
Taking further immunisation work away from general practice also does not recognise the importance of providing doctors with a mix of patient care issues to resolve.
General practice is struggling to attract new doctors, and existing doctors are reducing their hours or retiring because of burnout.
Taking further immunisations away from doctors reduces patient care as well as leaves doctors with less routine work and more and more complex work. Doctors are human too; without the day being broken up with different patient needs, they are burning out.”
Media release – Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA), 23 March 2023
Pharmacists ready to administer more vaccines to more Tasmanians – Pharmaceutical Society of Australia
The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) joins with the Tasmanian premier encouraging Tasmanians to utilise the vaccinating skills of their local pharmacist when having a prescribed vaccine dispensed.
Premier Rockliff this morning launched updated Tasmanian Immunisation Program Guidelines at a pharmacy in South Hobart, which comes into effect today.
PSA’s Tasmanian President David Peachey welcomed the Premier’s support and endorsement of the skills of pharmacists as core part of Tasmania’s vaccinator workforce:
‘Pharmacists are ready to support the Tasmanian population by administering prescribed vaccines and bypassing an unnecessary return trip to the medical centre after a vaccine has been dispensed at a community pharmacy’
‘Next time you take a prescription for a vaccine to your local pharmacy, you can save a return visit to the medical centre by having your pharmacist administer it for you.
This is in addition to medicines pharmacists can already authorise and administer, including influenza, COVID19, whooping cough and Measles/Mumps/Rubella (MMR).’
Mr Peachey said the move would help reduce pressure on wait times for medical services, as well and provide a more convenient option for patients:
‘Tasmanian pharmacists know all too well the overwhelming pressure and demand our medical colleagues are experiencing, and we welcome any initiatives remove an unnecessary step in accessing health care, such as vaccination.
‘All health professionals need more time to with their patients who have more complex health needs, and having local pharmacists administering more vaccines helps facilitate this.’
PSA continues to advocate for pharmacist to be able to authorise as well as administer routine and travel health vaccines as their counterparts in other states, particularly NSW and Queensland, are already able to do.
PSA will also continue to advocate for the removal of cost discrimination on vaccine administration:
‘It makes no sense that patients cannot access a consultation fee for the administration of a vaccine, by pharmacists yet the MBS has provision for both nurses and medical practitioners to do this in general practice. Mr Peachey continued.
’As long as community pharmacists must continue to charge administration fees to cover the cost of this service, it will not reach its full potential.’
