Health Minister Sussan Ley has rejected Pharmacy Guild concerns about the “bankable” level of a proposed five-year dispensing agreement, saying it is not the government’s job to guarantee their future earnings.
The Australian revealed yesterday that the Abbott government had offered an $18.9 billion community pharmacy package, but the guild was holding out for higher block funding rather than have certain funds tied to performance.
The Pharmacy Guild yesterday released a statement confirming the proposal, but argued that broader drug chain reforms would leave chemists worse off in real terms than under the $15.7bn package negotiated five years ago.
“When the impact of these savings and other unsecured promises is taken into account, the guild estimates that the bankable net value … is just over $16bn, ” it said.
“Pharmacies would have an 8 per cent real cut in their total remuneration compared to the last agreement, despite being expected to dispense 10 per cent more scripts.”
Ms Ley stood by the value of the offer — she said it was “conservatively costed” — and called on stakeholders to embrace the move to a more demand-driven system.
“This government recognises the important role community pharmacy plays in delivering affordable medicines to patients and our proposed package not only offers them increased investment in the sector, but certainty around their rate of remuneration over the next five years,” she said.
“This is a package that backs the abilities of pharmacists and supports them to support patients, but it’s not the role of taxpayers to guarantee their earnings.”
The guild represents pharmacy owners and vowed to reject any proposal not in their interests.
However, the peak body for pharmacists, the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia, welcomed elements of the government’s proposal.
Acting PSA president Michelle Lynch said the move to double funding allocated for pharmacist programs and professional services, to $1.2bn, demonstrated the minister had listened to the sector.
Source: The Australian