Pharmacists - Key In Mental Health Care Delivery, Australia

Main Category: Pharmacy / Pharmacist
Also Included In: Mental Health;  Anxiety / Stress;  Depression
Article Date: 15 Apr 2011 - 1:00 PDT


A media report today showing that more than half of Australians suffering disorders such as anxiety and depression still go without treatment highlights the need for the greater involvement of other health-care professionals such as pharmacists in the treatment of patients with mental illness.

The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia has put forward a proposal to the Federal Government in its Budget Submission for a Liaison Pharmacist Program to be developed to help the Government deliver some of its health-reform objectives, particularly in the area of mental illness.

The National President of the PSA, Warwick Plunkett, said the proposal would see one salaried pharmacist for every Medicare Local to improve cost-effective health services for consumers with mental illness.

"This very worthwhile program would also ensure there was a point of coordination and communication between the consumer, the primary health-care team, the community mental-health team including GPs, and hospital-based health professionals," Mr Plunkett said.

"This program would reduce preventable medication errors and help to control the personal and health system costs of medication errors."

Mr Plunkett said the report released today also showed that in 2009 nearly 300,000 patients from the top-income group received $146 million in Medicare-financed mental health services, while half that number in the lowest income group accessed $54 million in services.

"Clearly accessibility to mental health services is a major issue and one that needs to be addressed," Mr Plunkett said.

"A very effective way of helping to get services to those who are currently missing out is through pharmacists who are the most accessible of all health professionals.

"In addition, pharmacists are the medication experts who can help patients with compliance issues, a major factor in ongoing mental illness treatment."

Mr Plunkett urged the Government to take up the PSA proposal for the clear and long-term benefits it would provide for the consumer and the health system.

Source:
Pharmaceutical Society of Australia

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