In our previous blog, pharmacists within the aged-care sector, we have discussed that the regular visit of pharmacists to the said sector is important in promoting better health outcomes by providing better medication and health management, especially during this time of the pandemic.
Of course, for pharmacists to fulfill this responsibility, the financial support of The Government is essential. Earlier this year, the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA), was able to secure funding of $345.7 million which will be used not just for improving the lives of the elderly but also to create a career path for pharmacists. This career path will consist of 1,500 opportunities with staged uptake over 4 years.
Aged-Care and Medication Safety
The main role of pharmacists in the aged-care sector is to help each resident’s medication needs. The responsibilities of pharmacists include the following:
Monitoring medications to reduce the possibility of adverse drug reaction
Dose reduction
Lessening and increasing the number of medications
Stopping the use of medications
According to the PSA National past-President Associate Professor Chris Freeman, the current approaches in the health system need to be improved so that the elderly can experience safer medication use.
Since 2018, the PSA has been advocating funding to improve medication safety in the aged-care sector and, after almost 4 years, it is great to finally see the financial support coming.
Aged-Care Pharmacists Employment
The program for the Residential Aged-Care Facilities is not yet finalised and the PSA is recommending flexible pharmacist employment. According to PSA CEO Mark Kinsela, a flexible funding model will allow pharmacists to provide the services they are experts of.
This flexible model will also allow the RACFs to decide how they engage pharmacist services. Under this model, pharmacists can be contacted or employed in the following ways:
Contacted by the RACF
Through a community pharmacy
Via a third-party provider
According to Kinsela, this will also allow the pharmacists to maintain the quality of their services whether they provide them in the metro or rural areas.
Furthermore, this flexible funding model also includes the monitoring of the current HMR and RMMR payment administered by the Pharmacy Programs Administrator (PPA) to ensure that the funding will be secured for on-site pharmacist services alone.
Under the current HMR/RMMR, pharmacists must be accredited and provide evidence to PPA of a contract with an aged-care facility to deliver pharmacy services. According to Mr. Kinsela, it is important to employ pharmacists who can work collectively within the aged-care facilities to promote better medication safety.
RACF Opportunities for Pharmacists
The new career path for pharmacists allows them to practice their full scope. According to incoming PSA National President Dr. Fei Sim, this path will enable career progression. This will enable more opportunities to access mentoring and specialisations in geriatrics.
The Residential Aged-Care Pharmacist program will begin rolling out in January next year and the PSA is ready to fully support the Australian pharmacists interested in working within the aged-care sector.
For more information, interested applicants can visit this link. The PSA also offers a program and everyone can access it here.
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