Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
And as we know, yesterday changes came into place expanding
the health services community pharmacists can provide. The expanded scope
of practice includes the ability to provide a range of treatments,
including schedule for medicines such as antibiotics. Now, we spoke
with the Health Minister, Steve Edgington about this yesterday, but
joining us on the line for on the ground look
(00:21):
at how that first day went and how things are
traveling in this space. It's the Pharmacy guilt President for
the Northern Territory, Peter Hatswell, good morning to you, Peter.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Good morning Kenny.
Speaker 1 (00:33):
Now, Peter, the initial change, well, it came in yesterday.
It was around the expanded scope with things like UTI's.
From my understanding, what's been the reaction from pharmacists.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Pharmacists are very keen. They're ready and ready and just
waiting for everything just to get into place. And that
most of the people I've spoken who have already done
the extra training needed be able to safely prescribe medications
for UTI. So we're ready and able to get game.
Speaker 1 (01:04):
That is good to hear, Peter. How many of our
pharmacies are in a position to be able to do that.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
Well, I don't know exactly, but as far everyone I've
ever spoken to, and it's quite a lot saying yes,
they're on to it, So I would say the majority
without a doubt.
Speaker 1 (01:20):
That's good to hear. And it is all about sort
of making things, I guess, a little bit more easy
and accessible for Territorians, isn't it.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
This is a game change of the Women's Health and
the NT. It's really brought the NT on par with
every other state in Australia. It's been well used, liized,
This service has been well utilized everywhere. In fact, I've
been looking at the numbers this morning and around about
six to seven thousand people seeing pharmacies for UTIs around Australia.
(01:49):
And obviously we've only just started so we're not there yet,
but that's a lot of people I've really taken advantage
of this.
Speaker 1 (01:55):
Yeah, it truly is. And Peter, it sort of seems
to me, like you know, I know myself at different times.
I know there'll be plenty of people listening this morning
that feel the same where sometimes you know you might
have something that you need to see a medical professional about,
but it's maybe not sort of at the degree where
you need to go in and have a full consultation
(02:16):
with a GP, and that can be costly as well.
You know, you're paying for the consultation, you're then paying
to go in and pick up your script at the pharmacy,
so it you know, I hope that it helps people
not only in terms of getting the treatment, but in
terms of a bit of a cost saving measure also.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
Absolutely, I think it will be a benefit in every way.
There'll be that timely access. Pharmacies are open on the
average about sixty sixty odd hours a week. That's like
nine hours a day. You know, most offsities aren't open
anywhere near as long as that, So it's going to
keep get that time, the access, the safe and effective care.
(02:55):
I mean, pharmacists have done five years of university and
community training and there'll be more training on top of
that for this service, especially when we're going into the
sort of more conditions that we'll be able to be treated.
So it keeps people out of the unit, out of
the hospital system, and frease up GPS to be dealing
(03:19):
with the more complicated stuff. We're really not trying to
replace GPS. We're just trying to help our community and
our patients in getting the timely and safe care that
they really need.
Speaker 1 (03:31):
How long do you think it's going to take for
pharmacists to be able to diagnose some of the other
some of the other things that have been flagged, Well,
that's it.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
We're in the process of creating the system to train
the pharmacists to be able to do that. That probably
won't start. The training is in the process of being created.
That will start towards the end of this year, and
it will be at least nine to twelve months before
we see pharmacists completing that train So it's looking at
probably towards the end of next year we'll see the
(04:04):
first occasions of service where people can go in and
there'll be a range of problems that the pharmacists can
look at and talk to patients and get their history
and decide whether it's appropriate for uncomplicated issues to treat them.
Speaker 1 (04:20):
But from your perspective, pharmacists are pretty happy about the changes.
They're pleas to see that this is forging ahead.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
Absolutely. I like there's a huge enthusiasm from pharmacy to
be able to go in and do this, and obviously
there's a lot of work to be done before you know,
you become a full scope practice pharmacist. But you know
everywhere in Australia is doing it. That many countries in
the world that already in this space, and it's going
to be just you know, it's going to help their
(04:50):
communities and that's really what they're all about. But you know,
we have to get back and go back and do
the study and how to do history had examined someone
and of course you know there'll be changes to each
pharmacy to make sure that you know, the play, the
environment where that consultation happens is private and appropriate in
(05:13):
size and everything else. There's an all thought that has
to happen. But we're ready and able and keen to
get on with it and do those things.
Speaker 1 (05:20):
Yeah, do you reckon many of the actual pharmacy pharmacies
are going to need, you know, to do additional work
in terms of making sure that they've got those consultation
rooms and that kind of thing. Or is that something
that a lot of them have already it.
Speaker 2 (05:35):
Certainly most I mean pharmacies have been doing vaccinations for
some time now for I think it's like eight years
when the first pharmacists did an influenza vaccine. So there
are those spaces already created, but there may be need
to expand them a bit more and possibly get more
equipment in there. There's certainly going to be need methoscopes
(05:58):
and things like that, and all those things need to
be addressed, so there's probably quite a bit of work
to be done there. It just depends on the pharmacy
and also it depends on the size of the pharmacy
and their funds available. So they'll that's certainly going to happen,
and then it'll be up to people to decide where
they go and where they feel most comfortable and see
(06:19):
if their local pharmacy is up to it.
Speaker 1 (06:21):
Yeah, well, look it seems as though it's going to
be a good move and as you said, still a
bit of time to get through all of the other
you know, all of the other issues that pharmacists are
going to be able to prescribe medication for. So that's
going to take some work, but all with the aim
of making it a bit more accessible for territory and
so hopefully that is the case sooner rather than later
(06:44):
Pharmacy Guild into President Peter Hatswell. Always good to catch
up with you really appreciate your time.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
Thank you so much, Katie, thank you
And as we know, yesterday changes came into place expanding
the health services community pharmacists can provide. The expanded scope
of practice includes the ability to provide a range of treatments,
including schedule for medicines such as antibiotics. Now, we spoke
with the Health Minister, Steve Edgington about this yesterday, but
joining us on the line for on the ground look
(00:21):
at how that first day went and how things are
traveling in this space. It's the Pharmacy guilt President for
the Northern Territory, Peter Hatswell, good morning to you, Peter.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Good morning Kenny.
Speaker 1 (00:33):
Now, Peter, the initial change, well, it came in yesterday.
It was around the expanded scope with things like UTI's.
From my understanding, what's been the reaction from pharmacists.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Pharmacists are very keen. They're ready and ready and just
waiting for everything just to get into place. And that
most of the people I've spoken who have already done
the extra training needed be able to safely prescribe medications
for UTI. So we're ready and able to get game.
Speaker 1 (01:04):
That is good to hear, Peter. How many of our
pharmacies are in a position to be able to do that.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
Well, I don't know exactly, but as far everyone I've
ever spoken to, and it's quite a lot saying yes,
they're on to it, So I would say the majority
without a doubt.
Speaker 1 (01:20):
That's good to hear. And it is all about sort
of making things, I guess, a little bit more easy
and accessible for Territorians, isn't it.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
This is a game change of the Women's Health and
the NT. It's really brought the NT on par with
every other state in Australia. It's been well used, liized,
This service has been well utilized everywhere. In fact, I've
been looking at the numbers this morning and around about
six to seven thousand people seeing pharmacies for UTIs around Australia.
(01:49):
And obviously we've only just started so we're not there yet,
but that's a lot of people I've really taken advantage
of this.
Speaker 1 (01:55):
Yeah, it truly is. And Peter, it sort of seems
to me, like you know, I know myself at different times.
I know there'll be plenty of people listening this morning
that feel the same where sometimes you know you might
have something that you need to see a medical professional about,
but it's maybe not sort of at the degree where
you need to go in and have a full consultation
(02:16):
with a GP, and that can be costly as well.
You know, you're paying for the consultation, you're then paying
to go in and pick up your script at the pharmacy,
so it you know, I hope that it helps people
not only in terms of getting the treatment, but in
terms of a bit of a cost saving measure also.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
Absolutely, I think it will be a benefit in every way.
There'll be that timely access. Pharmacies are open on the
average about sixty sixty odd hours a week. That's like
nine hours a day. You know, most offsities aren't open
anywhere near as long as that, So it's going to
keep get that time, the access, the safe and effective care.
(02:55):
I mean, pharmacists have done five years of university and
community training and there'll be more training on top of
that for this service, especially when we're going into the
sort of more conditions that we'll be able to be treated.
So it keeps people out of the unit, out of
the hospital system, and frease up GPS to be dealing
(03:19):
with the more complicated stuff. We're really not trying to
replace GPS. We're just trying to help our community and
our patients in getting the timely and safe care that
they really need.
Speaker 1 (03:31):
How long do you think it's going to take for
pharmacists to be able to diagnose some of the other
some of the other things that have been flagged, Well,
that's it.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
We're in the process of creating the system to train
the pharmacists to be able to do that. That probably
won't start. The training is in the process of being created.
That will start towards the end of this year, and
it will be at least nine to twelve months before
we see pharmacists completing that train So it's looking at
probably towards the end of next year we'll see the
(04:04):
first occasions of service where people can go in and
there'll be a range of problems that the pharmacists can
look at and talk to patients and get their history
and decide whether it's appropriate for uncomplicated issues to treat them.
Speaker 1 (04:20):
But from your perspective, pharmacists are pretty happy about the changes.
They're pleas to see that this is forging ahead.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
Absolutely. I like there's a huge enthusiasm from pharmacy to
be able to go in and do this, and obviously
there's a lot of work to be done before you know,
you become a full scope practice pharmacist. But you know
everywhere in Australia is doing it. That many countries in
the world that already in this space, and it's going
to be just you know, it's going to help their
(04:50):
communities and that's really what they're all about. But you know,
we have to get back and go back and do
the study and how to do history had examined someone
and of course you know there'll be changes to each
pharmacy to make sure that you know, the play, the
environment where that consultation happens is private and appropriate in
(05:13):
size and everything else. There's an all thought that has
to happen. But we're ready and able and keen to
get on with it and do those things.
Speaker 1 (05:20):
Yeah, do you reckon many of the actual pharmacy pharmacies
are going to need, you know, to do additional work
in terms of making sure that they've got those consultation
rooms and that kind of thing. Or is that something
that a lot of them have already it.
Speaker 2 (05:35):
Certainly most I mean pharmacies have been doing vaccinations for
some time now for I think it's like eight years
when the first pharmacists did an influenza vaccine. So there
are those spaces already created, but there may be need
to expand them a bit more and possibly get more
equipment in there. There's certainly going to be need methoscopes
(05:58):
and things like that, and all those things need to
be addressed, so there's probably quite a bit of work
to be done there. It just depends on the pharmacy
and also it depends on the size of the pharmacy
and their funds available. So they'll that's certainly going to happen,
and then it'll be up to people to decide where
they go and where they feel most comfortable and see
(06:19):
if their local pharmacy is up to it.
Speaker 1 (06:21):
Yeah, well, look it seems as though it's going to
be a good move and as you said, still a
bit of time to get through all of the other
you know, all of the other issues that pharmacists are
going to be able to prescribe medication for. So that's
going to take some work, but all with the aim
of making it a bit more accessible for territory and
so hopefully that is the case sooner rather than later
(06:44):
Pharmacy Guild into President Peter Hatswell. Always good to catch
up with you really appreciate your time.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
Thank you so much, Katie, thank you
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