Welcome to this weeks edition of i2P (Information to Pharmacists) dated 23 March 2015.
I started researching new material for this edition when I received the first article contribution written by John Cook and titled Pharmacy Guild of Australia is no friend of Community Clinical Pharmacists – ANAO.
Knowing that the ANAO report was an important document for most of the pharmacist population I was curious to learn why there was not more “noise” surrounding the topic.
Then the floodgates opened with the loudest noise coming from some unprofessional journalists in the mainstream media.
While it is the job of media to expose improper or corrupt conduct surrounding taxpayer expenditure, there is also an obligation to report accurate facts.
They seem to have gotten lost in the rush to create a “good” story.

I began writing quickly to try and keep abreast of events and provide suitable analysis of the events that began to be reported from a wide spectrum of sources
That the information flow has been almost hourly has meant difficulty in writing chronologically and completely, so I apologise for any duplication.
My efforts are contained in Unprecedented Attacks on PGA Post-ANAO Report and Doctor Groups and CHF Deliver Collective Criticism of Pharmacy.

Most of what the ANAO report contains is not really new to the writers of i2P.
The mostly negative commentary on the conduct of the management of the 5CPA reflects very poorly on the conduct of both the Department of Health and the PGA, and even though the report is directed at the Department of Health it hints at PGA involvement.

i2P has often commented on poor management by PGA in many areas of activity to an extent that we probably have some level of reader desensitivity.
It is nice to have validation by ANAO, even though we would have preferred a different outcome.

We asked Mark Coleman to identify some of the underlying agendas and he has written an article News Ltd – QUM – Profitless Prosperity – and get in line to join the chorus of dissent.
While the criticism from the RACGP, the RACP and the CHF “stings” it is mainly because the criticisms have been carefully crafted and are substantially true.
You get a very frustrated feeling knowing that your profession has been standing still or moving into negative territory in terms of professional development and patient engagement.

But we left the best for last and asked Peter Sayers to research the positive and determine what evidence-based pathway pharmacy should now take.
So he wrote Post ANAO Report – the way ahead and he has delivered a basic pharmacy model that would stand up to the critics and give value for money, that contains content that is evidence-based and is actually being done at the moment.

In all of this it is obvious that the PGA can no longer claim to represent all of pharmacy and government assistance is required to form up a leadership body for pharmacists that is truly representative for the entire profession.
There also has to be recognition that clinical services form part of the essential “core” of pharmacy, as well as dispensing.
And that pharmacy needs to be integrated in a “whole of health” forward plan as i2P has previously reported for Scotland.

Gerald Quigley has also weighed in with an article titled Science teaches us that we must see to believe, but we must also believe in order to see!
This is something that must be absolutely factored into any pharmacy thinking.

Finally, we have an article on brainstorming and its value as a management and marketing tool.
Written by Harvey Mackay it is a good read.

Plus we have the usual press releases from PSA and ASMI.

There is a full weeks’ reading here and we hope you enjoy it.
Please don’t forget to comment on any of the articles because now is the precise moment to have your thoughts recorded for pharmacy moving forward.

Neil Johnston
Editor
23 March 2015