Health and Aged Care Minister slams Pharmacy Guild’s “scare campaign” over aged care dispensing

The Minister for Health and Aged Care, Mark Butler, has slammed the Australian Pharmacy Guild (APG) for suggesting aged care residents could be faced with additional costs of $800 per year to have their medications packed and delivered to them.

The APG released a statement on Monday urging the government to pause the implementation of 60-day dispending, due to come in on 1 September, which will double the amount of medication doctors can prescribe in a single prescription. The APG has been warning the government for months the change will lead to pharmacy closures, job losses, and medicine shortages.

The Minister said the claim the change will mean aged care residents have to pay more for their medication is a “scare campaign” and “complete rubbish”.

“There is less handling when you're only dispensing a medicine once every 60 days, instead of once every 30 days. This will only cover 300 medicines and only where a doctor has decided to issue a 60-day script to a patient that they consider to be stable. 

“This is a sensible arrangement,” he said. 

Anton Hutchinson, whose family have owned and operated Canberra Aged Care for more than 30 years, told The SOURCE 60-day dispending will be more efficient for their residents as it will mean fewer doctor visits.

“You can barely get into a doctor,” he said. “If you have to go every two months rather than every month that’s a good thing.”

Three patient groups – The Australian Patients Association (APA), Pain Australia and Better Access Australia – have joined the Pharmacy Guild in pushing for a delay in the introduction of 60-day dispensing, The Australian has reported.

The SOURCE: 60-day dispensing is already in place in most countries overseas where it has improved medication compliance.