Background
Methods
Study participants
Procedure
Data analysis
Results
Participants | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pharmacists | Pharmacy support staff | Consumers | Carers | Mixed consumer/Carer | Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander peoples | CALD | |
Location | Groups | ||||||
Logan/Beaudesert (QLD) | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
Mt Isa (QLD) | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Northern Rivers (NSW) | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Perth (WA) | 1 | 1 | 2#
| 0 | 1*
| 1 | 0 |
Total | 4 | 2 | 7 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 2 |
n
| 22 | 13 | 54 | 17 | 32 | 35 | 17 |
EXTENDED SCOPE OF PRACTICE FOR PHARMACISTS | • Repeat prescribing (Continuing supply of repeat medication) |
• Minor ailments scheme (e.g. for antibiotics, urinary tract infections) | |
• Medication adjustments (e.g. dosing, side-effect concerns) | |
• Point of care testing (e.g. blood cholesterol, glucose testing) | |
• Pharmacist-administered vaccinations | |
NEW OR IMPROVED EXISTING PHARMACY SERVICES |
Increased access to pharmacist or other healthcare professionals
|
• New services: virtual pharmacy consultations, checking technicians, direct referrals to specialists from pharmacists, home visits/community health workers | |
• Extended services: increased number of pharmacists in the pharmacy, forward pharmacy, Rolls Royce Service, co-location with other healthcare professionals/one-stop-shop | |
Increased access to medications and information
| |
• New services: prompt dispensing and ordering, e.g. online and dispensing terminals, chronic illness card, drive thru service, service directory, case coordinator | |
• Extended services: information sessions, health promotion, medication indication on prescriptions, prescription reminder service, home deliveries |
Extended scope of practice for pharmacists
|
Repeat prescribing (Continuing supply)
|
Yeah, the pharmacist should be able to make prescriptions. (Consumer_1208; Group_13) | |
…they [pharmacists] should be able to renew them but I think perhaps they should collaborate with the doctor…sometimes medication has changed… (Carer_1149; Group_17) | |
Pharmacist needs to be able to prescribe medication, at least one that’s been already prescribed, ongoing medication, like contraception pill, or blood pressure medication. (Pharmacy Assistant_2025; Group_11) | |
…pharmacists able to supply repeat therapies where appropriate. (Pharmacist_2048; Group 18) | |
…why should I have to spend $60 going to see the doctor…every time I need a new script? It's daft. (Consumer_1115; Group_8) | |
…I think the pharmacist profession is…much limited by legislation…if there is a side-effect for our medication…he [pharmacist] should be able to replace this medication for you. (Consumer_1208; Group_13) | |
…they [pharmacists] can probably do that [prescribe] and free up maybe the system a little bit better… (Pharmacy support staff_2042; Group_14) | |
Maybe a two month supply [of medication]. Because out here [rural setting] we have…a lot of compliance issues because people run out of their scripts…(Pharmacist_2048; Group_18) | |
Medication adjustments
| |
Pharmacist reviews with the ability to adjust meds [medication] (Pharmacist_2049; Group_18) | |
New or improved existing pharmacy services
|
Increased access to pharmacist
|
…they should have an extra chemist on the floor to explain all these things… (IND_Consumer_1106; Group_4) | |
Co-location with other healthcare professionals and one-stop shop
| |
…a doctor within the pharmacy, so they come in, we can't do anything about it, straight in to the doctor” (Pharmacist_2068) “Taking that one step further, have an in-pharmacy setup for [a] virtual doctor…” (Pharmacist_2062; Group_23) | |
…go from door to door and see all their health professionals in a one stop shop… (Pharmacy Support Staff_2024; Group_11) | |
…have the pharmacy A type class, which is what we have now, and pharmacy B which is the specialist pharmacy who probably is in a health hub, and that's all they do. They don't sell sunglasses and they don't sell body stockings, they just dispense and they are highly trained and you probably pay a bit more… (Carer_1217; Group_15) | |
Direct pharmacist referrals to health professionals
| |
…refer to professionals and get me into professionals in a timely manner… (Consumer/Carer_1179; Group_Pilot2) | |
Community health workers
| |
…indigenous health workers out in the community, follow up the scripts… (IND_Consumer_2; Group_3) | |
Prompt dispensing and ordering (online and dispensing terminals)
| |
…a USB script transmitter…some sort of system like a machine at the front or something that you could access, and bang, bang, bang, this is the script and it goes through to them [pharmacy staff] with a private password or key…it issues a script, and it will give you an estimated time when you can come back or it would be ready… (Consumer/Carer_1041; Group_7) | |
Chronic Illness Card
| |
…a lot of the elders…travel a long way to go to funerals…That card would be priceless if they had that. So if they went a long distance, go to the chemist, zap it and do whatever they do and the information is right there for them. Because we all do travel… (IND_Consumer_1158; Group_12) | |
Prescription Reminder Service
| |
…this is your last repeat, they [pharmacies] should give me a warning… (CALD_Consumer_1231; Group_21) | |
Health promotion, information and service directory
| |
Information nights run by pharmacists and doctors for specific health conditions. (Pharmacist_2053; Group_22) |
Extended scope of practice for pharmacists
Be able to prescribe medicine without a doctor's prescription… (Consumer_1040; Group_6)
…pharmacists should be able to renew prescriptions for people who are on the same medication year in, year out, for at least 12 months to take the pressure off doctors. (Carer_1068; Group_17)
…I was very sick and then the chemist they said no way [not supplying medication without a prescription]. And sometime[s] you ring the doctor and they told you, next day, or one week… (CALD_Consumer/Carer_1207; Group_13)
…there can be a danger if they [pharmacist] just constantly renew it and you're not seeing your doctor. (Carer_1013; Group_13)
… [pharmacists] should know who is a diabetic and who has blood pressure and have it automatically tested when they go to pick up their prescription… (IND_Consumer_1106; Group_4)
New or improved existing pharmacy services
Increased access to pharmacist or other healthcare professionals
…rather than having to go and stand and telling my story in front of everybody else in the shop, I'd like to have a virtual one where you can have somebody talk to you on the line and you can just have a face-to-face. (Consumer/Carer_1118; Group_13)
…instead of trying to train a pharmacist…you've got a nurse practitioner…and they've gone a little bit higher to get the betterment of qualification to give you the injection… (Consumer/Carer_1214; Group_13)
If they see people aren’t coming to the chemist… they [pharmacist] should make it their business to go out to their house. (IND_Consumer_1191; Group_3)
…you always get to talk to your pharmacist and your scripts are always ready for you so you jump the queue essentially…and you pay for that. (Pharmacist_2000; Group_10)
Increased access to medications and information
This is quite controversial, but I think some people would want automatic dispensing…they'd have a computer, they'd type in their name and scan the prescription or something and it just dispenses to you. (Pharmacist_2068; Group_23)
…online prescriptions. So when the doctor types it out, why can't it…go straight to the chemist, and then hey you haven't got…papers to carry around…you can either go online [to order it]…or by phone… (Consumer_1037; Group_8)
…a chronic illness card…so that it says you have a chronic condition…so that the pharmacist knows… (Consumer/Carer_1206; Group_9)
…before the due date…get an alert…Because a lot of elderly people forget… (CALD_Consumer/Carer_1133; Group_7)
You can just drive through with your ID and…here you go. (Consumer/Carer_1118; Group_13)
…accommodate my ideal case coordinator. Because the pharmacy isn't as intense as, say, even going to your GP or going to your specialist…house this person who would then have enough room to bring in guest speakers…have all the resources there, all the pamphlets we're needing and information… (Consumer_1014; Group_15)
…the more interest and the more education you get into the pharmacies the better. Because a lot of people are using the pharmacist instead of their GP. (Consumer_1116; Group_9)