Editorial
Welcome to the March edition of i2P – Information to Pharmacists.
You may have noiticed if you receive i2P by email, that we have simplified our mail out presentation.
This was because the code in our earlier version appeared to be too unstable to maintain, hence the simpler presentation.
Columns
Rollo Manning: Pharma-Goss
John Dunlop: Inside NZ
Loretta Marron BSc: Health Watch
Barry Urquhart: Marketing Focus
Harvey Mackay: Strategic Thinking
Mark Neuenschwander: I`ve been thinking about...Recent Comments
Past Editions
Volume 1 Number 1
Volume 1 Number 2
Volume 1 Number 3
Volume 1 Number 4
Volume 1 Number 5
Volume 1 Number 6
Volume 1 Number 7
Volume 2 Number 1
Volume 2 Number 2
Pharma News
Hospital News
Health Politics
Pat Gallagher: Health Informatics - The State of the Nation
Peter Sayers: The Three-Ring Circus
Dr David More: e-Health IdentifiersEPublications
Intergenerational Report Underscores Need For More Professional Services in Pharmacy
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Editing and Researching news and stories about global and local Pharmacy Issues | |
The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia has pointed to the importance of increasing the availability of professional services available delivered by pharmacy . The need has been underscored by the release of the Third Intergenerational Report.
Launching the report, the Treasurer Wayne Swan said the proportion of Australia’s population aged 65 and over is expected to almost double over the next 40 years. Today there are five working aged people to every person aged 65 and over but by 2050, this ratio will fall to only 2.7 people.
Acting President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia, Grant Kardachi, said the report clearly pointed to increased spending on pharmaceuticals as the population ages, and a proportionately lower ratio of taxpayers available to carry the cost burden of this higher rate of usage.
“But we can help to reduce the need for medications in the ageing by introducing targeted preventive services through pharmacy which will result in a healthier population less dependent on pharmaceuticals to maintain their wellbeing,” Mr Kardachi said.
“Already pharmacy, working collaboratively with other health professionals, has proved its effectiveness in the delivery of such services as Homes Medicines Reviews and medication services. It also provides programs addressing smoking cessation, weight loss and diabetes – to name but a few.
“Clearly boosting the number of professional services available through pharmacy will go a long way to helping the Government manage the increased cost of looking after the growing ageing population.”
Mr Kardachi said the Government’s own reports driving the health-care reform agenda had clearly pointed to professional services as being a foundation in the development of a more efficient and cost-effective health system
“The Primary Health Care report and the Preventive Health report both clearly see prevention as preferable to cure and professional services are the frontline in prevention, advice and information for the consumer,” Mr Kardachi said.
“In the Fifth Community Pharmacy Agreement being negotiated at present, the Government has a unique opportunity to implement these recommendations through professional services.
“This will not only help build a healthier Australia in the future but also help contain the staggering costs forecasts in the Third Intergenerational Report.
”Community pharmacies as the most accessible health professionals in the country are best-placed to implement these services. The infrastructure is in place and the only thing required is for the Government to seize upon this opportunity for the benefit of all Australians.”
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