Pharmacy Union Concerns Unfounded

Main Category: Pharmacy / Pharmacist
Article Date: 17 Jul 2009 - 3:00 PDT

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Concerns raised by the Pharmacists' Division of the Association of Professional Engineers, Scientists and Managers, Australia over employees being 'left out' of negotiations for the Fifth Community Pharmacy Agreement were unfounded, the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia said today.

President of the PSA, Warwick Plunkett, said the concerns were raised to stimulate a response from employee pharmacists on issues to be discussed in the CPA negotiations.

"But these comments are well off target and display a lack of understanding of the CPA process and other initiatives seeking to promote pharmacists' expertise in delivering health policy priorities," Mr Plunkett said.

"The Community Pharmacy Agreement is only about community pharmacy-based services and their remuneration. "Services that should be funded by government and delivered outside of community pharmacy need to be the subject of a separate agreement with the profession." Mr Plunkett said the PSA, with a membership covering 75 per cent of all practicing pharmacists including employers and employees, was well represented in the negotiating process and was well placed to look after the interests of employee pharmacists in the CPA.

"Of course PSA would welcome any direct ideas or comments from all parts of its membership to guide it on stances to be taken during the negotiations," he said. Responding to APESMA concerns over the future direction of pharmacy, Mr Plunkett said: "PSA agrees that Government should be, and no doubt is, having dialogue with the other major pharmacy organisations on issues affecting the profession but not on those issues relevant to CPA.

"The future direction of Pharmacy is the subject of a Green and White Paper process recently initiated by PSA and which will include input from all sectors of pharmacy during its development.

"Professional services relating to Primary Health Care and Preventive Health Care delivery by community pharmacies will be put forward in the negotiations for CPA5 but could be subject to attracting funding and support from other areas."

Source
Pharmaceutical Society of Australia

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