Extra Hospital Pharmacists Welcomed, Australia

Main Category: Pharmacy / Pharmacist
Article Date: 30 Mar 2009 - 6:00 PDT

email to a friend   printer friendly   opinions  

The announcement that an extra 64 clinical pharmacists will be employed in NSW hospitals has been welcomed by the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia.

President of the NSW Branch of the PSA, Peter Gissing, said the decision by NSW Health Minister, John Della Bosca, to appoint extra hospital pharmacists was timely and recognised the pivotal role that pharmacists play in all aspects of patient health care in Australia.

"The PSA has been advocating for some time for an increase in the number of hospital pharmacists, particularly in light of some of the problems which have surfaced in the NSW hospital system," Mr Gissing said.

"We have made submissions in person and in writing to the Government and inquiring bodies and the speedy response by Mr Della Bosca to these submissions is a very clear indication of the value he places on pharmacists in the hospital system."

Mr Gissing said the role of hospital pharmacists went well beyond that of dispensing medications. "The quality use of medicines is a critical aspect of ongoing health care in this country and hospital pharmacists are at the frontline in being able to help educate patients about the correct use of their medications," Mr Gissing said.

"In addition, they can provide advice to other medical professionals in the hospital system with the result that patient stays may be reduced. "It is also gratifying to see that the opportunity for community pharmacy involvement in delivering public health services will also be actively considered by the NSW Government. "The PSA looks forward to continuing to work with the Minister, NSW Government and NSW Health in finding the best way forward with this and other recommendations from the Garling Report."

The National President of the PSA, Warwick Plunkett, said the Garling Report pointed to medicine misadventures being the cause of about 140,000 hospital admissions a year, with an annual cost to the public in the order of $380 million.

"Educating consumers is the key to reducing this huge burden on the hospital and financial systems of Australia and pharmacists have the expertise and accessibility to lead in this critical education campaign," Mr Plunkett said.

"The additional NSW hospital pharmacists will go some way towards addressing the concerns of the PSA and the issues raised in the Garling Report, and the PSA urges all other States and Territories to follow the lead set by Mr Della Bosca."

Source
Pharmaceutical Society of Australia

• Additional
• References
• Citations