Pharmacy trial a dangerous experiment undermining GPs’ valued role
The AMA has expressed concern at reports the NSW government is considering a trial to allow pharmacists to prescribe antibiotics for urinary tract infections, warning it would result in higher health care costs and poorer outcomes for patients.
The AMA has expressed concern at reports the NSW Government is considering a trial to allow pharmacists to prescribe antibiotics for urinary tract infections, warning it would result in higher health care costs and poorer outcomes for patients.
The AMA has called for the New South Wales government to scrap any plans to allow pharmacists to prescribe medicines for patients.
AMA President Professor Stephen Robson said any consideration to allow pharmacists to prescribe antibiotics for urinary tract infections was a “dangerous experiment” that would result in poorer health outcomes for patients.
He was reacting to reports in the Sydney Morning Herald that the NSW health minister Brad Hazzard had asked his department to explore such a trial.
Professor Robson said it was frustrating that such a plan had been floated on the day of a General Practice Crisis Summit in Canberra.
“There are critical issues facing general practice with years of underfunding pushing significant numbers of GPs to retire early, while fewer doctors are choosing general practice as a specialty,” he said.
“Governments need to come to the table with viable solutions to support general practice and build collaborative models — not changes that completely undervalue the quality of care that is provided through general practice and fragmented patient care.
“This dangerous experiment signals a lack of respect for general practice and the years of training, experience and knowledge required to properly diagnose and treat a medical condition. If implemented in NSW it will have dire consequences for the future of the workforce.”
Professor Robson was also interviewed this week on the National Cabinet decision to scrap all mandatory COVID-19 isolation requirements, which he called a “let-it-rip” policy.
He told Channel 10 News First that there was a major upswing in cases in the Northern Hemisphere as Australia headed for the summer holiday season and it was “too early” to be relaxing restrictions while there were still more than 200 deaths a week from COVID.
Professor Robson said, “We know the vaccination rate in Australia and boosting has totally been bogged in the mud and we are very concerned that Australia is going into another very big wave just at a time we are recovering from another big wave.”
