New pharmacy ownership laws will hinder Closing the Gap

Aboriginal health centres will be locked out of running their own pharmacies under proposed new anti-competitive pharmacy ownership laws.

A Queensland parliamentary committee has recommended supporting the Pharmacy Business Ownership Bill in full, despite pleas for Aboriginal health services to be exempt from the new rules.

“Removing pharmacy ownership restrictions to enable Aboriginal health services to own and operate pharmacies would support commitments made by all governments in the National Agreement on Closing the Gap,” AMA Queensland President Dr Maria Boulton said.

“It is outrageous that the Queensland Government is completely disregarding its own Closing the Gap commitments with these unnecessary, anti-competitive regulations that only serve to entrench the power of existing pharmacy owners.

“This Bill should be rejected entirely. At the very least, Aboriginal health services should have been exempted.

“We are bitterly disappointed that the Cost of Living and Economics Committee did not listen to the Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Health Council, the RACGP, the Productivity Commission and AMA Queensland.

“Culturally safe healthcare is critical to improving health outcomes for our First Nations people.

“First Nations Queenslanders should be able to fill prescriptions and receive medication advice in a culturally safe way. Pharmacies owned by the community-controlled sector will be driven by a team-based approach, not by profit.

“However, these new laws block anyone other than a pharmacist or a close family member from owning a pharmacy. This is completely anti-competitive and not in the interests of community health.

“Pharmacy is the only healthcare sector with these ownership rules. A pharmacist can own a general practice or a dental surgery, but GPs and dentists cannot own a pharmacy.

“As the Federal Productivity Commissioner told the committee, there is no evidence of a problem to fix, and no evidence that, if there were a problem, this bill would fix it.

“We remain frustrated by the secrecy around the consultation process for this Bill. It was negotiated behind closed doors with select stakeholders bound by confidentiality agreements.

“Legislation affecting all Queenslanders should be developed in full view and all stakeholder groups taking part should be able to share information with their members and their communities.

“This Bill also transfers responsibility for pharmacy regulation from Queensland Health to a new council with the power to issue, change, suspend and cancel pharmacy business licences.

“The sole reason for this new council seems to be because pharmacy owner lobby groups wanted it.

“There is no evidence it will provide greater community safety – or that community safety is at risk in the first place - or be more cost-effective.

“We have raised our concerns about how this Bill was developed with the Crime and Corruption Commission.

“The Queensland Government must explain why it has put the wishes of powerful lobbyists ahead of the healthcare outcomes of First Nations Queenslanders.”