td_module_mega_menu Object ( [post] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 28142 [post_author] => 3410 [post_date] => 2024-11-11 15:55:46 [post_date_gmt] => 2024-11-11 04:55:46 [post_content] => With cases of Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) spiking this year, the federal government announced yesterday (10 November) that free vaccination would be offered to eligible pregnant people and babies. Before the 2025 winter season, the RSV vaccine will be available under the National Immunisation Program (NIP) for all people in the third trimester of pregnancy via the Australian Infant RSV Immunisation Program.Which RSV vaccines will pharmacists administer?
The RSV immunisation program will offer two Therapeutic Goods Administration approved protections against severe RSV. Pharmacists can administer the maternal vaccine, Abrysvo, to pregnant women between 28-36 weeks of gestation. Maternal vaccination provides early protection for newborn children by reducing the risk of severe RSV disease in infants under 6 months of age by around 70%, a spokesperson from the Department of Health and Aged Care told Australian Pharmacist. ‘This is [through] passive protection by transplacental transfer of RSV-specific antibodies from the mother to the foetus during pregnancy.’How popular will it be?
Federal Minister for Health and Aged Care Mark Butler said the RSV vaccine rollout has been modelled on the whooping cough vaccine in pregnant women, which is administered at around the same time and has an uptake rate of around 80%.‘Maternal vaccination provides early protection for newborn children by reducing the risk of severe RSV disease in infants under 6 months of age by around 70%.' The Department of Health and Aged Care‘So we have good confidence that there will be a significant uptake of this maternal vaccine by pregnant Australian women,’ he added.What is covered for pharmacists under the NIP?
According to the Department of Health and Aged Care, both the cost of the maternal RSV vaccine (Abrysvo) and the vaccine administration fee will be covered under the NIP and The National Immunisation Program Vaccinations in Pharmacy (NIPVIP) Program. Abrysvo NIP vaccine stock will also be available to community pharmacists, said the spokesperson.What about protection for neonates?
Access has also widened for more babies to receive a protection against RSV soon after birth, particularly those whose mother did not opt to have the vaccine during pregnancy. Beyfortus (nirsevimab), an antibody therapy for the prevention of RSV-related lower respiratory tract disease, will be available in hospitals, immunisation clinics and general practices for infants before or during their first RSV season. Children up to 24 months of age who remain vulnerable to severe RSV disease throughout their second RSV season can also access the vaccine. ‘Beyfortus is a monoclonal antibody treatment which is administered to babies by injection,’ said Minister Butler. ‘[It can be received] immediately after birth … if their mother has not been vaccinated against RSV.’Why did the government decide to take action against RSV?
Australia recorded the highest ever number of RSV cases this year, with 165,910 reported notifications. Most cases were recorded in the 0–4 age cohort, among whom RSV can be fatal, and is the leading cause of hospitalisation for Australian children under five years of age. The Australian Immunisation Foundation estimates that around 12,000 Australian babies aged 12 months or younger are admitted to hospital with RSV annually. Around 25% of these children will require intensive care. The inclusion of an RSV vaccine in the NIP is an important step to protect newborn children and infants from severe RSV infection, said the spokesperson. ‘The highest rate of RSV-related hospitalisations is in infants during their first few months of life,’ said the spokesperson. ‘Infants with medical risk factors, such as being born very [premature], under 32 weeks gestational age, have an increased risk of severe disease. ‘Up to 80% of infants who are hospitalised due to RSV are otherwise healthy children with no predisposing conditions.’What’s the expected impact?
The Immunisation Foundation of Australia has estimated that the nationwide availability of new RSV immunisations will help to keep 10,000 infants out of hospital with related bronchiolitis or pneumonia each year. ‘The immunisations being funded in Australia protect babies against severe RSV and have been shown to slash hospitalisation rates by up to 90 per cent,’ said Catherine Hughes AM, Founder and Director of the Immunisation Foundation of Australia. Western Australia was the first state to implement an infant RSV immunisation program with Beyfortus. More than 23,000 infants received RSV protection this year, resulting in up to 84% fewer hospitalisations in immunised newborns compared to those who were not RSV protected. In Queensland, where a statewide infant RSV immunisation program commenced in April 2024, similar results were observed. ‘The exceptional results in Western Australia and Queensland contrast sharply with other parts of Australia where hospitals were overwhelmed by babies struggling to breathe due to severe RSV,’ she said.Will older patients be able to receive the RSV vaccine under the NIP?
No. Well at least, not yet. Vaccines can only be listed on the NIP after a positive recommendation from the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee’s (PBAC) as required by the National Health Act 1953, said the spokesperson. ‘Several vaccine sponsors have made submissions in relation to RSV vaccines for older populations to the PBAC to consider for NIP listing,’ said the spokesperson. ‘The outcomes of these meetings will inform future government considerations regarding the potential listing of RSV vaccines on the NIP for older Australians.’ While a positive PBAC recommendation is an essential requirement in the NIP-listing process, other steps need to be completed before a vaccine can be given final approval for NIP listing, said the spokesperson. ‘These include negotiations with the relevant pharmaceutical company, finalisation of conditions for listing, quality and availability checks and final consideration by the government,’ said the spokesperson. ‘These considerations and decisions of government cannot be preempted.’ [post_title] => Government-funded RSV vaccines to protect infants from severe disease [post_excerpt] => With cases of RSV spiking in 2024, the federal government announced free vaccination would be offered to eligible pregnant people and babies. [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => government-funded-rsv-vaccines-to-protect-infants-from-severe-disease [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2024-11-13 13:26:32 [post_modified_gmt] => 2024-11-13 02:26:32 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://www.australianpharmacist.com.au/?p=28142 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [title_attribute] => Government-funded RSV vaccines to protect infants from severe disease [title] => Government-funded RSV vaccines to protect infants from severe disease [href] => https://www.australianpharmacist.com.au/government-funded-rsv-vaccines-to-protect-infants-from-severe-disease/ [module_atts:td_module:private] => Array ( ) [td_review:protected] => Array ( ) [is_review:protected] => [post_thumb_id:protected] => 28146 [authorType] => )
td_module_mega_menu Object ( [post] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 28134 [post_author] => 9164 [post_date] => 2024-11-11 12:48:48 [post_date_gmt] => 2024-11-11 01:48:48 [post_content] => Pharmacists and migrant community leaders, Sobia Hashmi MPS and Irfan Hashmi MPS, are the 2025 Local Heroes for South Australia, receiving their award on Saturday night in a ceremony in Adelaide. The local heroes category of these Australia Day awards recognise role models who encourage others to be active in their own communities and become agents of positive change for a more diverse and inclusive Australia. Over 20 years, Sobia and husband Irfan have transformed healthcare in remote and rural communities in South Australia. They’ve established six pharmacies in areas where there were previously none – which forced people to travel long distances for life-saving medicines and primary health care. Sobia (48) and Irfan (51) are committed to serving their diverse communities. They employ staff who collectively speak 21 languages, allowing them to reach vulnerable populations and provide culturally sensitive healthcare. In 2020, they partnered with government to provide 24 free influenza vaccine clinics in outreach settings, providing 1200 vaccines to vulnerable people in South Australia. Reflecting on the awards, Irfan and Sobia told Australian Pharmacist that the award was a celebration of the collective efforts of everyone who has been with them along the way, including their family, friends, colleagues, and the broader community. ‘To every individual who believed in us, who encouraged us to reach higher, and who shared in our vision of uplifting others, thank you. Your unwavering support drives us to do more, reach further, and connect deeper with those around us,’ they said. Sobia and Irfan also reflected on the importance of community. ‘Together, we are stronger. Together, we make a difference. And together, let’s continue to build a healthier, more inclusive South Australia for all. This is just the beginning, and we are excited for the journey ahead,’ they said. ‘We are truly honoured and humbled to be named the 2025 Australian of the Year Award – Local Hero in SA recipients. This recognition strengthens our commitment to making a positive impact as pharmacists and community leaders, and it inspires us to continue serving the vibrant multicultural community that we call home.’ The couple have mentored countless intern pharmacists from overseas, coordinating multilingual education and outreach initiatives to help pharmacists enter the much-needed workforce in regional Australia. They host a free weekly webinar series, which has assisted 4,000 overseas pharmacists in passing their registration exams in the last 12 months alone. Irfan previously was recognised as PSA’s 2009 South Australian Pharmacist of the Year. [post_title] => Two pharmacists win state Australian of the Year 2025 award [post_excerpt] => Sobia Hashmi MPS and Irfan Hashmi MPS will attend the Australian of the Year awards as finalists for the national local heroes title. [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => two-pharmacists-win-state-australian-of-the-year-2025-award [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2024-11-13 13:26:46 [post_modified_gmt] => 2024-11-13 02:26:46 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://www.australianpharmacist.com.au/?p=28134 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [title_attribute] => Two pharmacists win state Australian of the Year 2025 award [title] => Two pharmacists win state Australian of the Year 2025 award [href] => https://www.australianpharmacist.com.au/two-pharmacists-win-state-australian-of-the-year-2025-award/ [module_atts:td_module:private] => Array ( ) [td_review:protected] => Array ( ) [is_review:protected] => [post_thumb_id:protected] => 28140 [authorType] => )
td_module_mega_menu Object ( [post] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 28084 [post_author] => 3410 [post_date] => 2024-11-06 15:56:15 [post_date_gmt] => 2024-11-06 04:56:15 [post_content] => After months of anticipation, the Unleashing the potential of our health workforce – Scope of practice review was released yesterday (5 November) – with many of the key recommendations echoing the long-held concerns of the PSA and pharmacists across Australia. Australian Pharmacist has rounded up some of the key takeouts from the report.Pharmacists are leaving the profession at an alarming rate
Pharmacy has a high attrition rate compared with other healthcare professions. Among 19 healthcare professions, pharmacy had the fifth highest exit rate of 8.7% in 2023 – almost double that of medical professionals (4.7%). The professions with the highest exit rates are those that face significant barriers to working to their full scope of practice, the review found. While there are several factors that impact exit rates, allowing pharmacists to work to their full scope of practice is a crucial factor for strengthening the profession’s retention rate – improving recognition for professional skills, capability and contribution to enhance continuity of care. ‘This report really makes clear that there are all sorts of artificial, inefficient restrictions on what nurses, pharmacists, GPs, and other health professionals are allowed to do that bears no relationship to their training,’ said federal Minister for Health and Aged Care Mark Butler.Inconsistencies in vaccine schedules for pharmacists are ‘needless’
Pharmacist vaccinators are trained in accordance with the National Immunisation Education Framework, ensuring high standards in vaccine administration and competence. But the report found that the difference in state and territory laws dictating which vaccines can be administered by pharmacists has led to disparities in access – not only causing confusion among patients but leading to significant inefficiencies. Legislative differences between states and territories also means that a vaccine subsidised in one region might not be covered in another. Harmonising these regulations by reviewing Drugs and Poisons Acts would promote equitable vaccine access nationwide, allowing pharmacists’ to provide consistent healthcare services regardless of location. Aligning funding arrangements for vaccination is also crucial, the review found. While the National Immunisation Program Vaccinations in Pharmacy (NIPVIP) provides government funding for certain vaccines, access to others depends on a mix of user-pay systems and varying jurisdictional funding – creating inconsistencies in affordability and accessibility across states and territories. Standardising funding mechanisms would ensure subsidies are uniformly applied – making vaccinations more affordable and accessible to all Australians.It will take some time to implement change, but there are some steps governments and regulators can take now
While some of the recommendations in the review, such as harmonising vaccination legislation, can be achieved in a timely fashion, others are sweeping reforms that will take many years, such as restructuring healthcare education – which currently impacts students and qualified pharmacists’ ability to work to their full scope. The review recommended the Commonwealth establish a primary care workforce development program to support the development and retention of a skilled, stable, and collaborative primary care workforce through enhanced curriculum, training, placement, and career development opportunities for students, supervisors, mentors, and health professionals.The current funding model must be overhauled
The current fee-for-service arrangement in primary care incentivises high-turnover care – with payments to providers based on the number and type of care episodes delivered. This model limits the ability of health professionals to work to their full scope and reduces multidisciplinary collaboration – with some healthcare professionals funded for certain services while others are not, including lack of funding for pharmacists to participate in multidisciplinary case conferences. To address this, the review recommends introducing a blended payment model to complement the fee-for-service system. This model would enable access to multidisciplinary healthcare delivered by professionals working to their full scope of practice in primary care. An independent mechanism would be established to advise on pricing and payment levels for the blended payment, ensuring adjustments based on the risk profile of patient populations. But it’s unlikely to be a quick fix. The review suggests the model would need to be implemented progressively over a 7-year period, beginning with priority areas such as rural and remote regions, Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations, and underserviced regional and outer metropolitan areas.Pharmacist prescribing programs should be nationally consistent
Implementing pharmacists prescribing rights has been an unnecessarily complex and prolonged process, with ad-hoc investigations, one-off reviews, and small-scale pilots. Adopting an activity-based approach would streamline regulation for community pharmacists in prescribing medications and promote consistency across jurisdictions. Introducing a dedicated mechanism to assess health workforce models would also fill a crucial gap, facilitating the systematic adoption of multidisciplinary primary care models that include pharmacists much like the successful models implemented in the United Kingdom.Improved use of technology should form the backbone of scope of practice changes
A key theme in the review was the need for better use of technology across the board to expand scopes of practice and efficiencies, improving quality of care. Potential areas for reform identified by the review include establishing access to real‑time patient information, introducing platforms for secure messaging and digital referrals and mandating participation in a multidisciplinary care team for primary care providers. ‘[We need to] improve the digital capability of a system that still uses far too many fax machines and too much paper,’ said Minister Butler.The government will respond, in time
The government is yet to respond to the key recommendations in the report, with Minister Butler confirming he will not ‘respond to each of the ideas’. ‘We want to consider them, but a lot of them do have a lot of common sense,’ he said. Other key stakeholders will also need to be consulted. ‘Many of the recommendations will require collaboration between the Commonwealth and state and territory governments, as well as consultation with peak professional organisations, AHPRA, patient groups, and the sector more broadly. I look forward to these discussions,’ Minister Butler added. But PSA has called for the government to accept all 18 recommendations and put forward a plan of action now. This review confirms PSA’s view that inconsistent regulations, unnecessary restrictions on practice, and siloed workforces are having a negative impact on patient access to quality health care, said PSA National President Associate Professor Fei Sim. ‘This report recognises the core role of pharmacies and pharmacists as primary healthcare providers and recommends a multidisciplinary approach to patient care,’ she said. ‘There is a clear alignment between Cormack’s recommendations and the actions in PSA’s vision for the pharmacy profession, Pharmacists in 2030. Both present a clear vision for the future that requires collaboration for a health system that works for patients.’What the health sector is saying
The Australian Medical Association has said that the government ‘must resist’ changes to scope of practice, maintaining its position for even more investment into general practice. Meanwhile, the Royal Australian College of GPs said the recommendations, if implemented, would ‘raid Medicare’, setting up for a ‘two-tiered health system where those who can afford to see a GP will, and those who can’t, don’t.’ But the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation said the review allows highly-trained health professionals to best utilise their skills, education and experience, allowing for the delivery of integrated, quality healthcare services across the community. Support also came from the National Rural Health Alliance, who welcomed the recommendations that seek to address some of the ‘inequalities faced by rural Australians when it comes to accessing healthcare.’ Outside of the health sector, the Business Council of Australia also welcomed the report, citing improving ‘productivity, patient experience and workforce satisfaction’ as necessary to a sustainable health system. [post_title] => Key recommendations to strengthen pharmacists’ role in healthcare [post_excerpt] => The scope of practice review recommends sweeping legislative change and solutions to funding challenges to improve healthcare services. [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => key-recommendation-to-strengthen-pharmacists-role-in-healthcare [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2024-11-06 17:01:11 [post_modified_gmt] => 2024-11-06 06:01:11 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://www.australianpharmacist.com.au/?p=28084 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [title_attribute] => Key recommendations to strengthen pharmacists’ role in healthcare [title] => Key recommendations to strengthen pharmacists’ role in healthcare [href] => https://www.australianpharmacist.com.au/key-recommendation-to-strengthen-pharmacists-role-in-healthcare/ [module_atts:td_module:private] => Array ( ) [td_review:protected] => Array ( ) [is_review:protected] => [post_thumb_id:protected] => 28086 [authorType] => )
td_module_mega_menu Object ( [post] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 28066 [post_author] => 9176 [post_date] => 2024-11-04 10:21:07 [post_date_gmt] => 2024-11-03 23:21:07 [post_content] => Patients with treatment-resistant schizophrenia or who are affected by significant adverse effects from antipsychotics may soon have a treatment which works on an entirely different mechanism of action. Schizophrenia affects between 150,000 and 200,000 Australians (one in 100), with over a third (34%) of patients experiencing treatment-resistant schizophrenia (TRS). Patients treated with antipsychotics are often beset by adverse effects, varying from minor tolerability issues such as mild sedation and dry mouth to disfiguring changes including severe weight gain and tardive dyskinesia. Those with TRS prescribed clozapine can also face the rare but life-threatening risk of developing myocarditis or agranulocytosis. But the first new antipsychotic to be released on the market in decades could help to change this, potentially having life-changing impacts on patients with schizophrenia. Cobenfy, which targets the cholinergic neurotransmitter system, was recently approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration. Australian Pharmacist sat down with Arthur Christopoulos FAA FAHMS FPS, Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at Monash University, to discuss how the medicine works, whether it will appear on the Australian market and what else is the pipeline that could transform our approach to mental ill health. Watch the video below to find out more. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qX2z3SgLHa0 [post_title] => Could this medicine revolutionise schizophrenia treatment? [post_excerpt] => Working on a new mechanism of action, this treatment could change the lives of patients with schizophrenia. But not all patients can take it. [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => could-this-new-medicine-revolutionise-schizophrenia-treatment [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2024-11-05 11:35:44 [post_modified_gmt] => 2024-11-05 00:35:44 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://www.australianpharmacist.com.au/?p=28066 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [title_attribute] => Could this medicine revolutionise schizophrenia treatment? [title] => Could this medicine revolutionise schizophrenia treatment? [href] => https://www.australianpharmacist.com.au/could-this-new-medicine-revolutionise-schizophrenia-treatment/ [module_atts:td_module:private] => Array ( ) [td_review:protected] => Array ( ) [is_review:protected] => [post_thumb_id:protected] => 28068 [authorType] => )
td_module_mega_menu Object ( [post] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 28047 [post_author] => 9164 [post_date] => 2024-10-30 15:03:49 [post_date_gmt] => 2024-10-30 04:03:49 [post_content] => The PSA is saddened to learn of the passing of life member William (Bill) Arnold MPS, who died peacefully in his sleep on Saturday (26 October 2024).Bill was an active community pharmacist and long-standing pharmacy owner in the ACT, who’s profound contribution to the profession and the Australian public spanned many roles and many decades.
Bill was a career-long member of the PSA, regularly attending events and lectures and volunteering his time and expertise for the benefit of the profession. Bill served on Special Interest Groups and was appointed as the pharmacy representative on a diverse range of boards and bodies including the ACT Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs Taskforce Working Group, the ACT Opiate Treatment Advisory Committee and the ACT Vulnerable Families Project.
In 2013, Bill celebrated 50 years of continuous PSA membership and was made a Life Member in recognition of his service to the profession and to PSA.
Bill was the first Chairman of the ACT Division of the Pharmaceutical Society of New South Wales in 1971. He made a significant contribution to the profession as a member of the ACT Pharmacy Board from 1998-2015. He was an active contributor to the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) and an inaugural member of the Pharmacy Guild of Australia’s ACT Branch Committee, who later recognised him as a life member. Bill was also one of the leaders behind Auspharmlist, one of the first online forums for pharmacists to collaborate and mentor each in the virtual world.
Outside of pharmacy, Bill had a love of the Australian bush, was a soccer tragic and undertook extensive chaplaincy work in prisons.
Upon awarding Mr Arnold the honour of life membership, then ACT Branch President Greg Kyle, recognised Bill as a stalwart of PSA for many years, describing his as ‘a very active member [whose] ongoing commitment to the profession and the community is an example that many other pharmacists look up to.’
‘He never shirks from volunteering to offer his expertise and his work has seen him appointed as the pharmacy representative on a diverse range of boards and bodies which have included the ACT Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs Taskforce Working Group, the ACT Opiate Treatment Advisory Committee and the ACT Vulnerable Families Project,’ Associate Professor Kyle said.
On receiving this honour, Bill reflected:
‘I seem to remember going from the Pharmacy Board Office in Sydney after collecting that bit of paper straight round to the PSA NSW Office to join. I have always enjoyed the community pharmacy environment and being able to help people, and this continues to be a great satisfaction for me. We have an expression in Hebrew; "Tikun Olam" which is translated in different ways. Essentially the concept is that each one of us should try to make the only world we have a better place.’
‘My father's version was that if you are part of anything you should be an active participant, and leave it better than when you started. I hope I have made a contribution to the profession.’His funeral will be held tomorrow (31 October 2024) in Canberra.
Vale Bill Arnold MPS.
[post_title] => Vale William (Bill) Arnold (1940–2024) [post_excerpt] => The PSA is saddened to learn of the passing of life member William (Bill) Arnold MPS, who died peacefully in his sleep on 26 October 2024. [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => vale-william-bill-arnold-1940-2024 [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2024-10-30 16:48:07 [post_modified_gmt] => 2024-10-30 05:48:07 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://www.australianpharmacist.com.au/?p=28047 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [title_attribute] => Vale William (Bill) Arnold (1940–2024) [title] => Vale William (Bill) Arnold (1940–2024) [href] => https://www.australianpharmacist.com.au/vale-william-bill-arnold-1940-2024/ [module_atts:td_module:private] => Array ( ) [td_review:protected] => Array ( ) [is_review:protected] => [post_thumb_id:protected] => 28060 [authorType] => )
td_module_mega_menu Object ( [post] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 28142 [post_author] => 3410 [post_date] => 2024-11-11 15:55:46 [post_date_gmt] => 2024-11-11 04:55:46 [post_content] => With cases of Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) spiking this year, the federal government announced yesterday (10 November) that free vaccination would be offered to eligible pregnant people and babies. Before the 2025 winter season, the RSV vaccine will be available under the National Immunisation Program (NIP) for all people in the third trimester of pregnancy via the Australian Infant RSV Immunisation Program.Which RSV vaccines will pharmacists administer?
The RSV immunisation program will offer two Therapeutic Goods Administration approved protections against severe RSV. Pharmacists can administer the maternal vaccine, Abrysvo, to pregnant women between 28-36 weeks of gestation. Maternal vaccination provides early protection for newborn children by reducing the risk of severe RSV disease in infants under 6 months of age by around 70%, a spokesperson from the Department of Health and Aged Care told Australian Pharmacist. ‘This is [through] passive protection by transplacental transfer of RSV-specific antibodies from the mother to the foetus during pregnancy.’How popular will it be?
Federal Minister for Health and Aged Care Mark Butler said the RSV vaccine rollout has been modelled on the whooping cough vaccine in pregnant women, which is administered at around the same time and has an uptake rate of around 80%.‘Maternal vaccination provides early protection for newborn children by reducing the risk of severe RSV disease in infants under 6 months of age by around 70%.' The Department of Health and Aged Care‘So we have good confidence that there will be a significant uptake of this maternal vaccine by pregnant Australian women,’ he added.What is covered for pharmacists under the NIP?
According to the Department of Health and Aged Care, both the cost of the maternal RSV vaccine (Abrysvo) and the vaccine administration fee will be covered under the NIP and The National Immunisation Program Vaccinations in Pharmacy (NIPVIP) Program. Abrysvo NIP vaccine stock will also be available to community pharmacists, said the spokesperson.What about protection for neonates?
Access has also widened for more babies to receive a protection against RSV soon after birth, particularly those whose mother did not opt to have the vaccine during pregnancy. Beyfortus (nirsevimab), an antibody therapy for the prevention of RSV-related lower respiratory tract disease, will be available in hospitals, immunisation clinics and general practices for infants before or during their first RSV season. Children up to 24 months of age who remain vulnerable to severe RSV disease throughout their second RSV season can also access the vaccine. ‘Beyfortus is a monoclonal antibody treatment which is administered to babies by injection,’ said Minister Butler. ‘[It can be received] immediately after birth … if their mother has not been vaccinated against RSV.’Why did the government decide to take action against RSV?
Australia recorded the highest ever number of RSV cases this year, with 165,910 reported notifications. Most cases were recorded in the 0–4 age cohort, among whom RSV can be fatal, and is the leading cause of hospitalisation for Australian children under five years of age. The Australian Immunisation Foundation estimates that around 12,000 Australian babies aged 12 months or younger are admitted to hospital with RSV annually. Around 25% of these children will require intensive care. The inclusion of an RSV vaccine in the NIP is an important step to protect newborn children and infants from severe RSV infection, said the spokesperson. ‘The highest rate of RSV-related hospitalisations is in infants during their first few months of life,’ said the spokesperson. ‘Infants with medical risk factors, such as being born very [premature], under 32 weeks gestational age, have an increased risk of severe disease. ‘Up to 80% of infants who are hospitalised due to RSV are otherwise healthy children with no predisposing conditions.’What’s the expected impact?
The Immunisation Foundation of Australia has estimated that the nationwide availability of new RSV immunisations will help to keep 10,000 infants out of hospital with related bronchiolitis or pneumonia each year. ‘The immunisations being funded in Australia protect babies against severe RSV and have been shown to slash hospitalisation rates by up to 90 per cent,’ said Catherine Hughes AM, Founder and Director of the Immunisation Foundation of Australia. Western Australia was the first state to implement an infant RSV immunisation program with Beyfortus. More than 23,000 infants received RSV protection this year, resulting in up to 84% fewer hospitalisations in immunised newborns compared to those who were not RSV protected. In Queensland, where a statewide infant RSV immunisation program commenced in April 2024, similar results were observed. ‘The exceptional results in Western Australia and Queensland contrast sharply with other parts of Australia where hospitals were overwhelmed by babies struggling to breathe due to severe RSV,’ she said.Will older patients be able to receive the RSV vaccine under the NIP?
No. Well at least, not yet. Vaccines can only be listed on the NIP after a positive recommendation from the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee’s (PBAC) as required by the National Health Act 1953, said the spokesperson. ‘Several vaccine sponsors have made submissions in relation to RSV vaccines for older populations to the PBAC to consider for NIP listing,’ said the spokesperson. ‘The outcomes of these meetings will inform future government considerations regarding the potential listing of RSV vaccines on the NIP for older Australians.’ While a positive PBAC recommendation is an essential requirement in the NIP-listing process, other steps need to be completed before a vaccine can be given final approval for NIP listing, said the spokesperson. ‘These include negotiations with the relevant pharmaceutical company, finalisation of conditions for listing, quality and availability checks and final consideration by the government,’ said the spokesperson. ‘These considerations and decisions of government cannot be preempted.’ [post_title] => Government-funded RSV vaccines to protect infants from severe disease [post_excerpt] => With cases of RSV spiking in 2024, the federal government announced free vaccination would be offered to eligible pregnant people and babies. [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => government-funded-rsv-vaccines-to-protect-infants-from-severe-disease [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2024-11-13 13:26:32 [post_modified_gmt] => 2024-11-13 02:26:32 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://www.australianpharmacist.com.au/?p=28142 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [title_attribute] => Government-funded RSV vaccines to protect infants from severe disease [title] => Government-funded RSV vaccines to protect infants from severe disease [href] => https://www.australianpharmacist.com.au/government-funded-rsv-vaccines-to-protect-infants-from-severe-disease/ [module_atts:td_module:private] => Array ( ) [td_review:protected] => Array ( ) [is_review:protected] => [post_thumb_id:protected] => 28146 [authorType] => )
td_module_mega_menu Object ( [post] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 28134 [post_author] => 9164 [post_date] => 2024-11-11 12:48:48 [post_date_gmt] => 2024-11-11 01:48:48 [post_content] => Pharmacists and migrant community leaders, Sobia Hashmi MPS and Irfan Hashmi MPS, are the 2025 Local Heroes for South Australia, receiving their award on Saturday night in a ceremony in Adelaide. The local heroes category of these Australia Day awards recognise role models who encourage others to be active in their own communities and become agents of positive change for a more diverse and inclusive Australia. Over 20 years, Sobia and husband Irfan have transformed healthcare in remote and rural communities in South Australia. They’ve established six pharmacies in areas where there were previously none – which forced people to travel long distances for life-saving medicines and primary health care. Sobia (48) and Irfan (51) are committed to serving their diverse communities. They employ staff who collectively speak 21 languages, allowing them to reach vulnerable populations and provide culturally sensitive healthcare. In 2020, they partnered with government to provide 24 free influenza vaccine clinics in outreach settings, providing 1200 vaccines to vulnerable people in South Australia. Reflecting on the awards, Irfan and Sobia told Australian Pharmacist that the award was a celebration of the collective efforts of everyone who has been with them along the way, including their family, friends, colleagues, and the broader community. ‘To every individual who believed in us, who encouraged us to reach higher, and who shared in our vision of uplifting others, thank you. Your unwavering support drives us to do more, reach further, and connect deeper with those around us,’ they said. Sobia and Irfan also reflected on the importance of community. ‘Together, we are stronger. Together, we make a difference. And together, let’s continue to build a healthier, more inclusive South Australia for all. This is just the beginning, and we are excited for the journey ahead,’ they said. ‘We are truly honoured and humbled to be named the 2025 Australian of the Year Award – Local Hero in SA recipients. This recognition strengthens our commitment to making a positive impact as pharmacists and community leaders, and it inspires us to continue serving the vibrant multicultural community that we call home.’ The couple have mentored countless intern pharmacists from overseas, coordinating multilingual education and outreach initiatives to help pharmacists enter the much-needed workforce in regional Australia. They host a free weekly webinar series, which has assisted 4,000 overseas pharmacists in passing their registration exams in the last 12 months alone. Irfan previously was recognised as PSA’s 2009 South Australian Pharmacist of the Year. [post_title] => Two pharmacists win state Australian of the Year 2025 award [post_excerpt] => Sobia Hashmi MPS and Irfan Hashmi MPS will attend the Australian of the Year awards as finalists for the national local heroes title. [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => two-pharmacists-win-state-australian-of-the-year-2025-award [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2024-11-13 13:26:46 [post_modified_gmt] => 2024-11-13 02:26:46 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://www.australianpharmacist.com.au/?p=28134 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [title_attribute] => Two pharmacists win state Australian of the Year 2025 award [title] => Two pharmacists win state Australian of the Year 2025 award [href] => https://www.australianpharmacist.com.au/two-pharmacists-win-state-australian-of-the-year-2025-award/ [module_atts:td_module:private] => Array ( ) [td_review:protected] => Array ( ) [is_review:protected] => [post_thumb_id:protected] => 28140 [authorType] => )
td_module_mega_menu Object ( [post] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 28084 [post_author] => 3410 [post_date] => 2024-11-06 15:56:15 [post_date_gmt] => 2024-11-06 04:56:15 [post_content] => After months of anticipation, the Unleashing the potential of our health workforce – Scope of practice review was released yesterday (5 November) – with many of the key recommendations echoing the long-held concerns of the PSA and pharmacists across Australia. Australian Pharmacist has rounded up some of the key takeouts from the report.Pharmacists are leaving the profession at an alarming rate
Pharmacy has a high attrition rate compared with other healthcare professions. Among 19 healthcare professions, pharmacy had the fifth highest exit rate of 8.7% in 2023 – almost double that of medical professionals (4.7%). The professions with the highest exit rates are those that face significant barriers to working to their full scope of practice, the review found. While there are several factors that impact exit rates, allowing pharmacists to work to their full scope of practice is a crucial factor for strengthening the profession’s retention rate – improving recognition for professional skills, capability and contribution to enhance continuity of care. ‘This report really makes clear that there are all sorts of artificial, inefficient restrictions on what nurses, pharmacists, GPs, and other health professionals are allowed to do that bears no relationship to their training,’ said federal Minister for Health and Aged Care Mark Butler.Inconsistencies in vaccine schedules for pharmacists are ‘needless’
Pharmacist vaccinators are trained in accordance with the National Immunisation Education Framework, ensuring high standards in vaccine administration and competence. But the report found that the difference in state and territory laws dictating which vaccines can be administered by pharmacists has led to disparities in access – not only causing confusion among patients but leading to significant inefficiencies. Legislative differences between states and territories also means that a vaccine subsidised in one region might not be covered in another. Harmonising these regulations by reviewing Drugs and Poisons Acts would promote equitable vaccine access nationwide, allowing pharmacists’ to provide consistent healthcare services regardless of location. Aligning funding arrangements for vaccination is also crucial, the review found. While the National Immunisation Program Vaccinations in Pharmacy (NIPVIP) provides government funding for certain vaccines, access to others depends on a mix of user-pay systems and varying jurisdictional funding – creating inconsistencies in affordability and accessibility across states and territories. Standardising funding mechanisms would ensure subsidies are uniformly applied – making vaccinations more affordable and accessible to all Australians.It will take some time to implement change, but there are some steps governments and regulators can take now
While some of the recommendations in the review, such as harmonising vaccination legislation, can be achieved in a timely fashion, others are sweeping reforms that will take many years, such as restructuring healthcare education – which currently impacts students and qualified pharmacists’ ability to work to their full scope. The review recommended the Commonwealth establish a primary care workforce development program to support the development and retention of a skilled, stable, and collaborative primary care workforce through enhanced curriculum, training, placement, and career development opportunities for students, supervisors, mentors, and health professionals.The current funding model must be overhauled
The current fee-for-service arrangement in primary care incentivises high-turnover care – with payments to providers based on the number and type of care episodes delivered. This model limits the ability of health professionals to work to their full scope and reduces multidisciplinary collaboration – with some healthcare professionals funded for certain services while others are not, including lack of funding for pharmacists to participate in multidisciplinary case conferences. To address this, the review recommends introducing a blended payment model to complement the fee-for-service system. This model would enable access to multidisciplinary healthcare delivered by professionals working to their full scope of practice in primary care. An independent mechanism would be established to advise on pricing and payment levels for the blended payment, ensuring adjustments based on the risk profile of patient populations. But it’s unlikely to be a quick fix. The review suggests the model would need to be implemented progressively over a 7-year period, beginning with priority areas such as rural and remote regions, Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations, and underserviced regional and outer metropolitan areas.Pharmacist prescribing programs should be nationally consistent
Implementing pharmacists prescribing rights has been an unnecessarily complex and prolonged process, with ad-hoc investigations, one-off reviews, and small-scale pilots. Adopting an activity-based approach would streamline regulation for community pharmacists in prescribing medications and promote consistency across jurisdictions. Introducing a dedicated mechanism to assess health workforce models would also fill a crucial gap, facilitating the systematic adoption of multidisciplinary primary care models that include pharmacists much like the successful models implemented in the United Kingdom.Improved use of technology should form the backbone of scope of practice changes
A key theme in the review was the need for better use of technology across the board to expand scopes of practice and efficiencies, improving quality of care. Potential areas for reform identified by the review include establishing access to real‑time patient information, introducing platforms for secure messaging and digital referrals and mandating participation in a multidisciplinary care team for primary care providers. ‘[We need to] improve the digital capability of a system that still uses far too many fax machines and too much paper,’ said Minister Butler.The government will respond, in time
The government is yet to respond to the key recommendations in the report, with Minister Butler confirming he will not ‘respond to each of the ideas’. ‘We want to consider them, but a lot of them do have a lot of common sense,’ he said. Other key stakeholders will also need to be consulted. ‘Many of the recommendations will require collaboration between the Commonwealth and state and territory governments, as well as consultation with peak professional organisations, AHPRA, patient groups, and the sector more broadly. I look forward to these discussions,’ Minister Butler added. But PSA has called for the government to accept all 18 recommendations and put forward a plan of action now. This review confirms PSA’s view that inconsistent regulations, unnecessary restrictions on practice, and siloed workforces are having a negative impact on patient access to quality health care, said PSA National President Associate Professor Fei Sim. ‘This report recognises the core role of pharmacies and pharmacists as primary healthcare providers and recommends a multidisciplinary approach to patient care,’ she said. ‘There is a clear alignment between Cormack’s recommendations and the actions in PSA’s vision for the pharmacy profession, Pharmacists in 2030. Both present a clear vision for the future that requires collaboration for a health system that works for patients.’What the health sector is saying
The Australian Medical Association has said that the government ‘must resist’ changes to scope of practice, maintaining its position for even more investment into general practice. Meanwhile, the Royal Australian College of GPs said the recommendations, if implemented, would ‘raid Medicare’, setting up for a ‘two-tiered health system where those who can afford to see a GP will, and those who can’t, don’t.’ But the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation said the review allows highly-trained health professionals to best utilise their skills, education and experience, allowing for the delivery of integrated, quality healthcare services across the community. Support also came from the National Rural Health Alliance, who welcomed the recommendations that seek to address some of the ‘inequalities faced by rural Australians when it comes to accessing healthcare.’ Outside of the health sector, the Business Council of Australia also welcomed the report, citing improving ‘productivity, patient experience and workforce satisfaction’ as necessary to a sustainable health system. [post_title] => Key recommendations to strengthen pharmacists’ role in healthcare [post_excerpt] => The scope of practice review recommends sweeping legislative change and solutions to funding challenges to improve healthcare services. [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => key-recommendation-to-strengthen-pharmacists-role-in-healthcare [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2024-11-06 17:01:11 [post_modified_gmt] => 2024-11-06 06:01:11 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://www.australianpharmacist.com.au/?p=28084 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [title_attribute] => Key recommendations to strengthen pharmacists’ role in healthcare [title] => Key recommendations to strengthen pharmacists’ role in healthcare [href] => https://www.australianpharmacist.com.au/key-recommendation-to-strengthen-pharmacists-role-in-healthcare/ [module_atts:td_module:private] => Array ( ) [td_review:protected] => Array ( ) [is_review:protected] => [post_thumb_id:protected] => 28086 [authorType] => )
td_module_mega_menu Object ( [post] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 28066 [post_author] => 9176 [post_date] => 2024-11-04 10:21:07 [post_date_gmt] => 2024-11-03 23:21:07 [post_content] => Patients with treatment-resistant schizophrenia or who are affected by significant adverse effects from antipsychotics may soon have a treatment which works on an entirely different mechanism of action. Schizophrenia affects between 150,000 and 200,000 Australians (one in 100), with over a third (34%) of patients experiencing treatment-resistant schizophrenia (TRS). Patients treated with antipsychotics are often beset by adverse effects, varying from minor tolerability issues such as mild sedation and dry mouth to disfiguring changes including severe weight gain and tardive dyskinesia. Those with TRS prescribed clozapine can also face the rare but life-threatening risk of developing myocarditis or agranulocytosis. But the first new antipsychotic to be released on the market in decades could help to change this, potentially having life-changing impacts on patients with schizophrenia. Cobenfy, which targets the cholinergic neurotransmitter system, was recently approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration. Australian Pharmacist sat down with Arthur Christopoulos FAA FAHMS FPS, Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at Monash University, to discuss how the medicine works, whether it will appear on the Australian market and what else is the pipeline that could transform our approach to mental ill health. Watch the video below to find out more. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qX2z3SgLHa0 [post_title] => Could this medicine revolutionise schizophrenia treatment? [post_excerpt] => Working on a new mechanism of action, this treatment could change the lives of patients with schizophrenia. But not all patients can take it. [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => could-this-new-medicine-revolutionise-schizophrenia-treatment [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2024-11-05 11:35:44 [post_modified_gmt] => 2024-11-05 00:35:44 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://www.australianpharmacist.com.au/?p=28066 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [title_attribute] => Could this medicine revolutionise schizophrenia treatment? [title] => Could this medicine revolutionise schizophrenia treatment? [href] => https://www.australianpharmacist.com.au/could-this-new-medicine-revolutionise-schizophrenia-treatment/ [module_atts:td_module:private] => Array ( ) [td_review:protected] => Array ( ) [is_review:protected] => [post_thumb_id:protected] => 28068 [authorType] => )
td_module_mega_menu Object ( [post] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 28047 [post_author] => 9164 [post_date] => 2024-10-30 15:03:49 [post_date_gmt] => 2024-10-30 04:03:49 [post_content] => The PSA is saddened to learn of the passing of life member William (Bill) Arnold MPS, who died peacefully in his sleep on Saturday (26 October 2024).Bill was an active community pharmacist and long-standing pharmacy owner in the ACT, who’s profound contribution to the profession and the Australian public spanned many roles and many decades.
Bill was a career-long member of the PSA, regularly attending events and lectures and volunteering his time and expertise for the benefit of the profession. Bill served on Special Interest Groups and was appointed as the pharmacy representative on a diverse range of boards and bodies including the ACT Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs Taskforce Working Group, the ACT Opiate Treatment Advisory Committee and the ACT Vulnerable Families Project.
In 2013, Bill celebrated 50 years of continuous PSA membership and was made a Life Member in recognition of his service to the profession and to PSA.
Bill was the first Chairman of the ACT Division of the Pharmaceutical Society of New South Wales in 1971. He made a significant contribution to the profession as a member of the ACT Pharmacy Board from 1998-2015. He was an active contributor to the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) and an inaugural member of the Pharmacy Guild of Australia’s ACT Branch Committee, who later recognised him as a life member. Bill was also one of the leaders behind Auspharmlist, one of the first online forums for pharmacists to collaborate and mentor each in the virtual world.
Outside of pharmacy, Bill had a love of the Australian bush, was a soccer tragic and undertook extensive chaplaincy work in prisons.
Upon awarding Mr Arnold the honour of life membership, then ACT Branch President Greg Kyle, recognised Bill as a stalwart of PSA for many years, describing his as ‘a very active member [whose] ongoing commitment to the profession and the community is an example that many other pharmacists look up to.’
‘He never shirks from volunteering to offer his expertise and his work has seen him appointed as the pharmacy representative on a diverse range of boards and bodies which have included the ACT Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs Taskforce Working Group, the ACT Opiate Treatment Advisory Committee and the ACT Vulnerable Families Project,’ Associate Professor Kyle said.
On receiving this honour, Bill reflected:
‘I seem to remember going from the Pharmacy Board Office in Sydney after collecting that bit of paper straight round to the PSA NSW Office to join. I have always enjoyed the community pharmacy environment and being able to help people, and this continues to be a great satisfaction for me. We have an expression in Hebrew; "Tikun Olam" which is translated in different ways. Essentially the concept is that each one of us should try to make the only world we have a better place.’
‘My father's version was that if you are part of anything you should be an active participant, and leave it better than when you started. I hope I have made a contribution to the profession.’His funeral will be held tomorrow (31 October 2024) in Canberra.
Vale Bill Arnold MPS.
[post_title] => Vale William (Bill) Arnold (1940–2024) [post_excerpt] => The PSA is saddened to learn of the passing of life member William (Bill) Arnold MPS, who died peacefully in his sleep on 26 October 2024. [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => vale-william-bill-arnold-1940-2024 [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2024-10-30 16:48:07 [post_modified_gmt] => 2024-10-30 05:48:07 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://www.australianpharmacist.com.au/?p=28047 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [title_attribute] => Vale William (Bill) Arnold (1940–2024) [title] => Vale William (Bill) Arnold (1940–2024) [href] => https://www.australianpharmacist.com.au/vale-william-bill-arnold-1940-2024/ [module_atts:td_module:private] => Array ( ) [td_review:protected] => Array ( ) [is_review:protected] => [post_thumb_id:protected] => 28060 [authorType] => )
td_module_mega_menu Object ( [post] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 28142 [post_author] => 3410 [post_date] => 2024-11-11 15:55:46 [post_date_gmt] => 2024-11-11 04:55:46 [post_content] => With cases of Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) spiking this year, the federal government announced yesterday (10 November) that free vaccination would be offered to eligible pregnant people and babies. Before the 2025 winter season, the RSV vaccine will be available under the National Immunisation Program (NIP) for all people in the third trimester of pregnancy via the Australian Infant RSV Immunisation Program.Which RSV vaccines will pharmacists administer?
The RSV immunisation program will offer two Therapeutic Goods Administration approved protections against severe RSV. Pharmacists can administer the maternal vaccine, Abrysvo, to pregnant women between 28-36 weeks of gestation. Maternal vaccination provides early protection for newborn children by reducing the risk of severe RSV disease in infants under 6 months of age by around 70%, a spokesperson from the Department of Health and Aged Care told Australian Pharmacist. ‘This is [through] passive protection by transplacental transfer of RSV-specific antibodies from the mother to the foetus during pregnancy.’How popular will it be?
Federal Minister for Health and Aged Care Mark Butler said the RSV vaccine rollout has been modelled on the whooping cough vaccine in pregnant women, which is administered at around the same time and has an uptake rate of around 80%.‘Maternal vaccination provides early protection for newborn children by reducing the risk of severe RSV disease in infants under 6 months of age by around 70%.' The Department of Health and Aged Care‘So we have good confidence that there will be a significant uptake of this maternal vaccine by pregnant Australian women,’ he added.What is covered for pharmacists under the NIP?
According to the Department of Health and Aged Care, both the cost of the maternal RSV vaccine (Abrysvo) and the vaccine administration fee will be covered under the NIP and The National Immunisation Program Vaccinations in Pharmacy (NIPVIP) Program. Abrysvo NIP vaccine stock will also be available to community pharmacists, said the spokesperson.What about protection for neonates?
Access has also widened for more babies to receive a protection against RSV soon after birth, particularly those whose mother did not opt to have the vaccine during pregnancy. Beyfortus (nirsevimab), an antibody therapy for the prevention of RSV-related lower respiratory tract disease, will be available in hospitals, immunisation clinics and general practices for infants before or during their first RSV season. Children up to 24 months of age who remain vulnerable to severe RSV disease throughout their second RSV season can also access the vaccine. ‘Beyfortus is a monoclonal antibody treatment which is administered to babies by injection,’ said Minister Butler. ‘[It can be received] immediately after birth … if their mother has not been vaccinated against RSV.’Why did the government decide to take action against RSV?
Australia recorded the highest ever number of RSV cases this year, with 165,910 reported notifications. Most cases were recorded in the 0–4 age cohort, among whom RSV can be fatal, and is the leading cause of hospitalisation for Australian children under five years of age. The Australian Immunisation Foundation estimates that around 12,000 Australian babies aged 12 months or younger are admitted to hospital with RSV annually. Around 25% of these children will require intensive care. The inclusion of an RSV vaccine in the NIP is an important step to protect newborn children and infants from severe RSV infection, said the spokesperson. ‘The highest rate of RSV-related hospitalisations is in infants during their first few months of life,’ said the spokesperson. ‘Infants with medical risk factors, such as being born very [premature], under 32 weeks gestational age, have an increased risk of severe disease. ‘Up to 80% of infants who are hospitalised due to RSV are otherwise healthy children with no predisposing conditions.’What’s the expected impact?
The Immunisation Foundation of Australia has estimated that the nationwide availability of new RSV immunisations will help to keep 10,000 infants out of hospital with related bronchiolitis or pneumonia each year. ‘The immunisations being funded in Australia protect babies against severe RSV and have been shown to slash hospitalisation rates by up to 90 per cent,’ said Catherine Hughes AM, Founder and Director of the Immunisation Foundation of Australia. Western Australia was the first state to implement an infant RSV immunisation program with Beyfortus. More than 23,000 infants received RSV protection this year, resulting in up to 84% fewer hospitalisations in immunised newborns compared to those who were not RSV protected. In Queensland, where a statewide infant RSV immunisation program commenced in April 2024, similar results were observed. ‘The exceptional results in Western Australia and Queensland contrast sharply with other parts of Australia where hospitals were overwhelmed by babies struggling to breathe due to severe RSV,’ she said.Will older patients be able to receive the RSV vaccine under the NIP?
No. Well at least, not yet. Vaccines can only be listed on the NIP after a positive recommendation from the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee’s (PBAC) as required by the National Health Act 1953, said the spokesperson. ‘Several vaccine sponsors have made submissions in relation to RSV vaccines for older populations to the PBAC to consider for NIP listing,’ said the spokesperson. ‘The outcomes of these meetings will inform future government considerations regarding the potential listing of RSV vaccines on the NIP for older Australians.’ While a positive PBAC recommendation is an essential requirement in the NIP-listing process, other steps need to be completed before a vaccine can be given final approval for NIP listing, said the spokesperson. ‘These include negotiations with the relevant pharmaceutical company, finalisation of conditions for listing, quality and availability checks and final consideration by the government,’ said the spokesperson. ‘These considerations and decisions of government cannot be preempted.’ [post_title] => Government-funded RSV vaccines to protect infants from severe disease [post_excerpt] => With cases of RSV spiking in 2024, the federal government announced free vaccination would be offered to eligible pregnant people and babies. [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => government-funded-rsv-vaccines-to-protect-infants-from-severe-disease [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2024-11-13 13:26:32 [post_modified_gmt] => 2024-11-13 02:26:32 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://www.australianpharmacist.com.au/?p=28142 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [title_attribute] => Government-funded RSV vaccines to protect infants from severe disease [title] => Government-funded RSV vaccines to protect infants from severe disease [href] => https://www.australianpharmacist.com.au/government-funded-rsv-vaccines-to-protect-infants-from-severe-disease/ [module_atts:td_module:private] => Array ( ) [td_review:protected] => Array ( ) [is_review:protected] => [post_thumb_id:protected] => 28146 [authorType] => )
td_module_mega_menu Object ( [post] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 28134 [post_author] => 9164 [post_date] => 2024-11-11 12:48:48 [post_date_gmt] => 2024-11-11 01:48:48 [post_content] => Pharmacists and migrant community leaders, Sobia Hashmi MPS and Irfan Hashmi MPS, are the 2025 Local Heroes for South Australia, receiving their award on Saturday night in a ceremony in Adelaide. The local heroes category of these Australia Day awards recognise role models who encourage others to be active in their own communities and become agents of positive change for a more diverse and inclusive Australia. Over 20 years, Sobia and husband Irfan have transformed healthcare in remote and rural communities in South Australia. They’ve established six pharmacies in areas where there were previously none – which forced people to travel long distances for life-saving medicines and primary health care. Sobia (48) and Irfan (51) are committed to serving their diverse communities. They employ staff who collectively speak 21 languages, allowing them to reach vulnerable populations and provide culturally sensitive healthcare. In 2020, they partnered with government to provide 24 free influenza vaccine clinics in outreach settings, providing 1200 vaccines to vulnerable people in South Australia. Reflecting on the awards, Irfan and Sobia told Australian Pharmacist that the award was a celebration of the collective efforts of everyone who has been with them along the way, including their family, friends, colleagues, and the broader community. ‘To every individual who believed in us, who encouraged us to reach higher, and who shared in our vision of uplifting others, thank you. Your unwavering support drives us to do more, reach further, and connect deeper with those around us,’ they said. Sobia and Irfan also reflected on the importance of community. ‘Together, we are stronger. Together, we make a difference. And together, let’s continue to build a healthier, more inclusive South Australia for all. This is just the beginning, and we are excited for the journey ahead,’ they said. ‘We are truly honoured and humbled to be named the 2025 Australian of the Year Award – Local Hero in SA recipients. This recognition strengthens our commitment to making a positive impact as pharmacists and community leaders, and it inspires us to continue serving the vibrant multicultural community that we call home.’ The couple have mentored countless intern pharmacists from overseas, coordinating multilingual education and outreach initiatives to help pharmacists enter the much-needed workforce in regional Australia. They host a free weekly webinar series, which has assisted 4,000 overseas pharmacists in passing their registration exams in the last 12 months alone. Irfan previously was recognised as PSA’s 2009 South Australian Pharmacist of the Year. [post_title] => Two pharmacists win state Australian of the Year 2025 award [post_excerpt] => Sobia Hashmi MPS and Irfan Hashmi MPS will attend the Australian of the Year awards as finalists for the national local heroes title. [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => two-pharmacists-win-state-australian-of-the-year-2025-award [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2024-11-13 13:26:46 [post_modified_gmt] => 2024-11-13 02:26:46 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://www.australianpharmacist.com.au/?p=28134 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [title_attribute] => Two pharmacists win state Australian of the Year 2025 award [title] => Two pharmacists win state Australian of the Year 2025 award [href] => https://www.australianpharmacist.com.au/two-pharmacists-win-state-australian-of-the-year-2025-award/ [module_atts:td_module:private] => Array ( ) [td_review:protected] => Array ( ) [is_review:protected] => [post_thumb_id:protected] => 28140 [authorType] => )
td_module_mega_menu Object ( [post] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 28084 [post_author] => 3410 [post_date] => 2024-11-06 15:56:15 [post_date_gmt] => 2024-11-06 04:56:15 [post_content] => After months of anticipation, the Unleashing the potential of our health workforce – Scope of practice review was released yesterday (5 November) – with many of the key recommendations echoing the long-held concerns of the PSA and pharmacists across Australia. Australian Pharmacist has rounded up some of the key takeouts from the report.Pharmacists are leaving the profession at an alarming rate
Pharmacy has a high attrition rate compared with other healthcare professions. Among 19 healthcare professions, pharmacy had the fifth highest exit rate of 8.7% in 2023 – almost double that of medical professionals (4.7%). The professions with the highest exit rates are those that face significant barriers to working to their full scope of practice, the review found. While there are several factors that impact exit rates, allowing pharmacists to work to their full scope of practice is a crucial factor for strengthening the profession’s retention rate – improving recognition for professional skills, capability and contribution to enhance continuity of care. ‘This report really makes clear that there are all sorts of artificial, inefficient restrictions on what nurses, pharmacists, GPs, and other health professionals are allowed to do that bears no relationship to their training,’ said federal Minister for Health and Aged Care Mark Butler.Inconsistencies in vaccine schedules for pharmacists are ‘needless’
Pharmacist vaccinators are trained in accordance with the National Immunisation Education Framework, ensuring high standards in vaccine administration and competence. But the report found that the difference in state and territory laws dictating which vaccines can be administered by pharmacists has led to disparities in access – not only causing confusion among patients but leading to significant inefficiencies. Legislative differences between states and territories also means that a vaccine subsidised in one region might not be covered in another. Harmonising these regulations by reviewing Drugs and Poisons Acts would promote equitable vaccine access nationwide, allowing pharmacists’ to provide consistent healthcare services regardless of location. Aligning funding arrangements for vaccination is also crucial, the review found. While the National Immunisation Program Vaccinations in Pharmacy (NIPVIP) provides government funding for certain vaccines, access to others depends on a mix of user-pay systems and varying jurisdictional funding – creating inconsistencies in affordability and accessibility across states and territories. Standardising funding mechanisms would ensure subsidies are uniformly applied – making vaccinations more affordable and accessible to all Australians.It will take some time to implement change, but there are some steps governments and regulators can take now
While some of the recommendations in the review, such as harmonising vaccination legislation, can be achieved in a timely fashion, others are sweeping reforms that will take many years, such as restructuring healthcare education – which currently impacts students and qualified pharmacists’ ability to work to their full scope. The review recommended the Commonwealth establish a primary care workforce development program to support the development and retention of a skilled, stable, and collaborative primary care workforce through enhanced curriculum, training, placement, and career development opportunities for students, supervisors, mentors, and health professionals.The current funding model must be overhauled
The current fee-for-service arrangement in primary care incentivises high-turnover care – with payments to providers based on the number and type of care episodes delivered. This model limits the ability of health professionals to work to their full scope and reduces multidisciplinary collaboration – with some healthcare professionals funded for certain services while others are not, including lack of funding for pharmacists to participate in multidisciplinary case conferences. To address this, the review recommends introducing a blended payment model to complement the fee-for-service system. This model would enable access to multidisciplinary healthcare delivered by professionals working to their full scope of practice in primary care. An independent mechanism would be established to advise on pricing and payment levels for the blended payment, ensuring adjustments based on the risk profile of patient populations. But it’s unlikely to be a quick fix. The review suggests the model would need to be implemented progressively over a 7-year period, beginning with priority areas such as rural and remote regions, Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations, and underserviced regional and outer metropolitan areas.Pharmacist prescribing programs should be nationally consistent
Implementing pharmacists prescribing rights has been an unnecessarily complex and prolonged process, with ad-hoc investigations, one-off reviews, and small-scale pilots. Adopting an activity-based approach would streamline regulation for community pharmacists in prescribing medications and promote consistency across jurisdictions. Introducing a dedicated mechanism to assess health workforce models would also fill a crucial gap, facilitating the systematic adoption of multidisciplinary primary care models that include pharmacists much like the successful models implemented in the United Kingdom.Improved use of technology should form the backbone of scope of practice changes
A key theme in the review was the need for better use of technology across the board to expand scopes of practice and efficiencies, improving quality of care. Potential areas for reform identified by the review include establishing access to real‑time patient information, introducing platforms for secure messaging and digital referrals and mandating participation in a multidisciplinary care team for primary care providers. ‘[We need to] improve the digital capability of a system that still uses far too many fax machines and too much paper,’ said Minister Butler.The government will respond, in time
The government is yet to respond to the key recommendations in the report, with Minister Butler confirming he will not ‘respond to each of the ideas’. ‘We want to consider them, but a lot of them do have a lot of common sense,’ he said. Other key stakeholders will also need to be consulted. ‘Many of the recommendations will require collaboration between the Commonwealth and state and territory governments, as well as consultation with peak professional organisations, AHPRA, patient groups, and the sector more broadly. I look forward to these discussions,’ Minister Butler added. But PSA has called for the government to accept all 18 recommendations and put forward a plan of action now. This review confirms PSA’s view that inconsistent regulations, unnecessary restrictions on practice, and siloed workforces are having a negative impact on patient access to quality health care, said PSA National President Associate Professor Fei Sim. ‘This report recognises the core role of pharmacies and pharmacists as primary healthcare providers and recommends a multidisciplinary approach to patient care,’ she said. ‘There is a clear alignment between Cormack’s recommendations and the actions in PSA’s vision for the pharmacy profession, Pharmacists in 2030. Both present a clear vision for the future that requires collaboration for a health system that works for patients.’What the health sector is saying
The Australian Medical Association has said that the government ‘must resist’ changes to scope of practice, maintaining its position for even more investment into general practice. Meanwhile, the Royal Australian College of GPs said the recommendations, if implemented, would ‘raid Medicare’, setting up for a ‘two-tiered health system where those who can afford to see a GP will, and those who can’t, don’t.’ But the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation said the review allows highly-trained health professionals to best utilise their skills, education and experience, allowing for the delivery of integrated, quality healthcare services across the community. Support also came from the National Rural Health Alliance, who welcomed the recommendations that seek to address some of the ‘inequalities faced by rural Australians when it comes to accessing healthcare.’ Outside of the health sector, the Business Council of Australia also welcomed the report, citing improving ‘productivity, patient experience and workforce satisfaction’ as necessary to a sustainable health system. [post_title] => Key recommendations to strengthen pharmacists’ role in healthcare [post_excerpt] => The scope of practice review recommends sweeping legislative change and solutions to funding challenges to improve healthcare services. [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => key-recommendation-to-strengthen-pharmacists-role-in-healthcare [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2024-11-06 17:01:11 [post_modified_gmt] => 2024-11-06 06:01:11 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://www.australianpharmacist.com.au/?p=28084 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [title_attribute] => Key recommendations to strengthen pharmacists’ role in healthcare [title] => Key recommendations to strengthen pharmacists’ role in healthcare [href] => https://www.australianpharmacist.com.au/key-recommendation-to-strengthen-pharmacists-role-in-healthcare/ [module_atts:td_module:private] => Array ( ) [td_review:protected] => Array ( ) [is_review:protected] => [post_thumb_id:protected] => 28086 [authorType] => )
td_module_mega_menu Object ( [post] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 28066 [post_author] => 9176 [post_date] => 2024-11-04 10:21:07 [post_date_gmt] => 2024-11-03 23:21:07 [post_content] => Patients with treatment-resistant schizophrenia or who are affected by significant adverse effects from antipsychotics may soon have a treatment which works on an entirely different mechanism of action. Schizophrenia affects between 150,000 and 200,000 Australians (one in 100), with over a third (34%) of patients experiencing treatment-resistant schizophrenia (TRS). Patients treated with antipsychotics are often beset by adverse effects, varying from minor tolerability issues such as mild sedation and dry mouth to disfiguring changes including severe weight gain and tardive dyskinesia. Those with TRS prescribed clozapine can also face the rare but life-threatening risk of developing myocarditis or agranulocytosis. But the first new antipsychotic to be released on the market in decades could help to change this, potentially having life-changing impacts on patients with schizophrenia. Cobenfy, which targets the cholinergic neurotransmitter system, was recently approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration. Australian Pharmacist sat down with Arthur Christopoulos FAA FAHMS FPS, Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at Monash University, to discuss how the medicine works, whether it will appear on the Australian market and what else is the pipeline that could transform our approach to mental ill health. Watch the video below to find out more. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qX2z3SgLHa0 [post_title] => Could this medicine revolutionise schizophrenia treatment? [post_excerpt] => Working on a new mechanism of action, this treatment could change the lives of patients with schizophrenia. But not all patients can take it. [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => could-this-new-medicine-revolutionise-schizophrenia-treatment [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2024-11-05 11:35:44 [post_modified_gmt] => 2024-11-05 00:35:44 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://www.australianpharmacist.com.au/?p=28066 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [title_attribute] => Could this medicine revolutionise schizophrenia treatment? [title] => Could this medicine revolutionise schizophrenia treatment? [href] => https://www.australianpharmacist.com.au/could-this-new-medicine-revolutionise-schizophrenia-treatment/ [module_atts:td_module:private] => Array ( ) [td_review:protected] => Array ( ) [is_review:protected] => [post_thumb_id:protected] => 28068 [authorType] => )
td_module_mega_menu Object ( [post] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 28047 [post_author] => 9164 [post_date] => 2024-10-30 15:03:49 [post_date_gmt] => 2024-10-30 04:03:49 [post_content] => The PSA is saddened to learn of the passing of life member William (Bill) Arnold MPS, who died peacefully in his sleep on Saturday (26 October 2024).Bill was an active community pharmacist and long-standing pharmacy owner in the ACT, who’s profound contribution to the profession and the Australian public spanned many roles and many decades.
Bill was a career-long member of the PSA, regularly attending events and lectures and volunteering his time and expertise for the benefit of the profession. Bill served on Special Interest Groups and was appointed as the pharmacy representative on a diverse range of boards and bodies including the ACT Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs Taskforce Working Group, the ACT Opiate Treatment Advisory Committee and the ACT Vulnerable Families Project.
In 2013, Bill celebrated 50 years of continuous PSA membership and was made a Life Member in recognition of his service to the profession and to PSA.
Bill was the first Chairman of the ACT Division of the Pharmaceutical Society of New South Wales in 1971. He made a significant contribution to the profession as a member of the ACT Pharmacy Board from 1998-2015. He was an active contributor to the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) and an inaugural member of the Pharmacy Guild of Australia’s ACT Branch Committee, who later recognised him as a life member. Bill was also one of the leaders behind Auspharmlist, one of the first online forums for pharmacists to collaborate and mentor each in the virtual world.
Outside of pharmacy, Bill had a love of the Australian bush, was a soccer tragic and undertook extensive chaplaincy work in prisons.
Upon awarding Mr Arnold the honour of life membership, then ACT Branch President Greg Kyle, recognised Bill as a stalwart of PSA for many years, describing his as ‘a very active member [whose] ongoing commitment to the profession and the community is an example that many other pharmacists look up to.’
‘He never shirks from volunteering to offer his expertise and his work has seen him appointed as the pharmacy representative on a diverse range of boards and bodies which have included the ACT Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs Taskforce Working Group, the ACT Opiate Treatment Advisory Committee and the ACT Vulnerable Families Project,’ Associate Professor Kyle said.
On receiving this honour, Bill reflected:
‘I seem to remember going from the Pharmacy Board Office in Sydney after collecting that bit of paper straight round to the PSA NSW Office to join. I have always enjoyed the community pharmacy environment and being able to help people, and this continues to be a great satisfaction for me. We have an expression in Hebrew; "Tikun Olam" which is translated in different ways. Essentially the concept is that each one of us should try to make the only world we have a better place.’
‘My father's version was that if you are part of anything you should be an active participant, and leave it better than when you started. I hope I have made a contribution to the profession.’His funeral will be held tomorrow (31 October 2024) in Canberra.
Vale Bill Arnold MPS.
[post_title] => Vale William (Bill) Arnold (1940–2024) [post_excerpt] => The PSA is saddened to learn of the passing of life member William (Bill) Arnold MPS, who died peacefully in his sleep on 26 October 2024. [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => vale-william-bill-arnold-1940-2024 [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2024-10-30 16:48:07 [post_modified_gmt] => 2024-10-30 05:48:07 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://www.australianpharmacist.com.au/?p=28047 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [title_attribute] => Vale William (Bill) Arnold (1940–2024) [title] => Vale William (Bill) Arnold (1940–2024) [href] => https://www.australianpharmacist.com.au/vale-william-bill-arnold-1940-2024/ [module_atts:td_module:private] => Array ( ) [td_review:protected] => Array ( ) [is_review:protected] => [post_thumb_id:protected] => 28060 [authorType] => )
td_module_mega_menu Object ( [post] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 28142 [post_author] => 3410 [post_date] => 2024-11-11 15:55:46 [post_date_gmt] => 2024-11-11 04:55:46 [post_content] => With cases of Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) spiking this year, the federal government announced yesterday (10 November) that free vaccination would be offered to eligible pregnant people and babies. Before the 2025 winter season, the RSV vaccine will be available under the National Immunisation Program (NIP) for all people in the third trimester of pregnancy via the Australian Infant RSV Immunisation Program.Which RSV vaccines will pharmacists administer?
The RSV immunisation program will offer two Therapeutic Goods Administration approved protections against severe RSV. Pharmacists can administer the maternal vaccine, Abrysvo, to pregnant women between 28-36 weeks of gestation. Maternal vaccination provides early protection for newborn children by reducing the risk of severe RSV disease in infants under 6 months of age by around 70%, a spokesperson from the Department of Health and Aged Care told Australian Pharmacist. ‘This is [through] passive protection by transplacental transfer of RSV-specific antibodies from the mother to the foetus during pregnancy.’How popular will it be?
Federal Minister for Health and Aged Care Mark Butler said the RSV vaccine rollout has been modelled on the whooping cough vaccine in pregnant women, which is administered at around the same time and has an uptake rate of around 80%.‘Maternal vaccination provides early protection for newborn children by reducing the risk of severe RSV disease in infants under 6 months of age by around 70%.' The Department of Health and Aged Care‘So we have good confidence that there will be a significant uptake of this maternal vaccine by pregnant Australian women,’ he added.What is covered for pharmacists under the NIP?
According to the Department of Health and Aged Care, both the cost of the maternal RSV vaccine (Abrysvo) and the vaccine administration fee will be covered under the NIP and The National Immunisation Program Vaccinations in Pharmacy (NIPVIP) Program. Abrysvo NIP vaccine stock will also be available to community pharmacists, said the spokesperson.What about protection for neonates?
Access has also widened for more babies to receive a protection against RSV soon after birth, particularly those whose mother did not opt to have the vaccine during pregnancy. Beyfortus (nirsevimab), an antibody therapy for the prevention of RSV-related lower respiratory tract disease, will be available in hospitals, immunisation clinics and general practices for infants before or during their first RSV season. Children up to 24 months of age who remain vulnerable to severe RSV disease throughout their second RSV season can also access the vaccine. ‘Beyfortus is a monoclonal antibody treatment which is administered to babies by injection,’ said Minister Butler. ‘[It can be received] immediately after birth … if their mother has not been vaccinated against RSV.’Why did the government decide to take action against RSV?
Australia recorded the highest ever number of RSV cases this year, with 165,910 reported notifications. Most cases were recorded in the 0–4 age cohort, among whom RSV can be fatal, and is the leading cause of hospitalisation for Australian children under five years of age. The Australian Immunisation Foundation estimates that around 12,000 Australian babies aged 12 months or younger are admitted to hospital with RSV annually. Around 25% of these children will require intensive care. The inclusion of an RSV vaccine in the NIP is an important step to protect newborn children and infants from severe RSV infection, said the spokesperson. ‘The highest rate of RSV-related hospitalisations is in infants during their first few months of life,’ said the spokesperson. ‘Infants with medical risk factors, such as being born very [premature], under 32 weeks gestational age, have an increased risk of severe disease. ‘Up to 80% of infants who are hospitalised due to RSV are otherwise healthy children with no predisposing conditions.’What’s the expected impact?
The Immunisation Foundation of Australia has estimated that the nationwide availability of new RSV immunisations will help to keep 10,000 infants out of hospital with related bronchiolitis or pneumonia each year. ‘The immunisations being funded in Australia protect babies against severe RSV and have been shown to slash hospitalisation rates by up to 90 per cent,’ said Catherine Hughes AM, Founder and Director of the Immunisation Foundation of Australia. Western Australia was the first state to implement an infant RSV immunisation program with Beyfortus. More than 23,000 infants received RSV protection this year, resulting in up to 84% fewer hospitalisations in immunised newborns compared to those who were not RSV protected. In Queensland, where a statewide infant RSV immunisation program commenced in April 2024, similar results were observed. ‘The exceptional results in Western Australia and Queensland contrast sharply with other parts of Australia where hospitals were overwhelmed by babies struggling to breathe due to severe RSV,’ she said.Will older patients be able to receive the RSV vaccine under the NIP?
No. Well at least, not yet. Vaccines can only be listed on the NIP after a positive recommendation from the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee’s (PBAC) as required by the National Health Act 1953, said the spokesperson. ‘Several vaccine sponsors have made submissions in relation to RSV vaccines for older populations to the PBAC to consider for NIP listing,’ said the spokesperson. ‘The outcomes of these meetings will inform future government considerations regarding the potential listing of RSV vaccines on the NIP for older Australians.’ While a positive PBAC recommendation is an essential requirement in the NIP-listing process, other steps need to be completed before a vaccine can be given final approval for NIP listing, said the spokesperson. ‘These include negotiations with the relevant pharmaceutical company, finalisation of conditions for listing, quality and availability checks and final consideration by the government,’ said the spokesperson. ‘These considerations and decisions of government cannot be preempted.’ [post_title] => Government-funded RSV vaccines to protect infants from severe disease [post_excerpt] => With cases of RSV spiking in 2024, the federal government announced free vaccination would be offered to eligible pregnant people and babies. [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => government-funded-rsv-vaccines-to-protect-infants-from-severe-disease [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2024-11-13 13:26:32 [post_modified_gmt] => 2024-11-13 02:26:32 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://www.australianpharmacist.com.au/?p=28142 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [title_attribute] => Government-funded RSV vaccines to protect infants from severe disease [title] => Government-funded RSV vaccines to protect infants from severe disease [href] => https://www.australianpharmacist.com.au/government-funded-rsv-vaccines-to-protect-infants-from-severe-disease/ [module_atts:td_module:private] => Array ( ) [td_review:protected] => Array ( ) [is_review:protected] => [post_thumb_id:protected] => 28146 [authorType] => )
td_module_mega_menu Object ( [post] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 28134 [post_author] => 9164 [post_date] => 2024-11-11 12:48:48 [post_date_gmt] => 2024-11-11 01:48:48 [post_content] => Pharmacists and migrant community leaders, Sobia Hashmi MPS and Irfan Hashmi MPS, are the 2025 Local Heroes for South Australia, receiving their award on Saturday night in a ceremony in Adelaide. The local heroes category of these Australia Day awards recognise role models who encourage others to be active in their own communities and become agents of positive change for a more diverse and inclusive Australia. Over 20 years, Sobia and husband Irfan have transformed healthcare in remote and rural communities in South Australia. They’ve established six pharmacies in areas where there were previously none – which forced people to travel long distances for life-saving medicines and primary health care. Sobia (48) and Irfan (51) are committed to serving their diverse communities. They employ staff who collectively speak 21 languages, allowing them to reach vulnerable populations and provide culturally sensitive healthcare. In 2020, they partnered with government to provide 24 free influenza vaccine clinics in outreach settings, providing 1200 vaccines to vulnerable people in South Australia. Reflecting on the awards, Irfan and Sobia told Australian Pharmacist that the award was a celebration of the collective efforts of everyone who has been with them along the way, including their family, friends, colleagues, and the broader community. ‘To every individual who believed in us, who encouraged us to reach higher, and who shared in our vision of uplifting others, thank you. Your unwavering support drives us to do more, reach further, and connect deeper with those around us,’ they said. Sobia and Irfan also reflected on the importance of community. ‘Together, we are stronger. Together, we make a difference. And together, let’s continue to build a healthier, more inclusive South Australia for all. This is just the beginning, and we are excited for the journey ahead,’ they said. ‘We are truly honoured and humbled to be named the 2025 Australian of the Year Award – Local Hero in SA recipients. This recognition strengthens our commitment to making a positive impact as pharmacists and community leaders, and it inspires us to continue serving the vibrant multicultural community that we call home.’ The couple have mentored countless intern pharmacists from overseas, coordinating multilingual education and outreach initiatives to help pharmacists enter the much-needed workforce in regional Australia. They host a free weekly webinar series, which has assisted 4,000 overseas pharmacists in passing their registration exams in the last 12 months alone. Irfan previously was recognised as PSA’s 2009 South Australian Pharmacist of the Year. [post_title] => Two pharmacists win state Australian of the Year 2025 award [post_excerpt] => Sobia Hashmi MPS and Irfan Hashmi MPS will attend the Australian of the Year awards as finalists for the national local heroes title. [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => two-pharmacists-win-state-australian-of-the-year-2025-award [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2024-11-13 13:26:46 [post_modified_gmt] => 2024-11-13 02:26:46 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://www.australianpharmacist.com.au/?p=28134 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [title_attribute] => Two pharmacists win state Australian of the Year 2025 award [title] => Two pharmacists win state Australian of the Year 2025 award [href] => https://www.australianpharmacist.com.au/two-pharmacists-win-state-australian-of-the-year-2025-award/ [module_atts:td_module:private] => Array ( ) [td_review:protected] => Array ( ) [is_review:protected] => [post_thumb_id:protected] => 28140 [authorType] => )
td_module_mega_menu Object ( [post] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 28084 [post_author] => 3410 [post_date] => 2024-11-06 15:56:15 [post_date_gmt] => 2024-11-06 04:56:15 [post_content] => After months of anticipation, the Unleashing the potential of our health workforce – Scope of practice review was released yesterday (5 November) – with many of the key recommendations echoing the long-held concerns of the PSA and pharmacists across Australia. Australian Pharmacist has rounded up some of the key takeouts from the report.Pharmacists are leaving the profession at an alarming rate
Pharmacy has a high attrition rate compared with other healthcare professions. Among 19 healthcare professions, pharmacy had the fifth highest exit rate of 8.7% in 2023 – almost double that of medical professionals (4.7%). The professions with the highest exit rates are those that face significant barriers to working to their full scope of practice, the review found. While there are several factors that impact exit rates, allowing pharmacists to work to their full scope of practice is a crucial factor for strengthening the profession’s retention rate – improving recognition for professional skills, capability and contribution to enhance continuity of care. ‘This report really makes clear that there are all sorts of artificial, inefficient restrictions on what nurses, pharmacists, GPs, and other health professionals are allowed to do that bears no relationship to their training,’ said federal Minister for Health and Aged Care Mark Butler.Inconsistencies in vaccine schedules for pharmacists are ‘needless’
Pharmacist vaccinators are trained in accordance with the National Immunisation Education Framework, ensuring high standards in vaccine administration and competence. But the report found that the difference in state and territory laws dictating which vaccines can be administered by pharmacists has led to disparities in access – not only causing confusion among patients but leading to significant inefficiencies. Legislative differences between states and territories also means that a vaccine subsidised in one region might not be covered in another. Harmonising these regulations by reviewing Drugs and Poisons Acts would promote equitable vaccine access nationwide, allowing pharmacists’ to provide consistent healthcare services regardless of location. Aligning funding arrangements for vaccination is also crucial, the review found. While the National Immunisation Program Vaccinations in Pharmacy (NIPVIP) provides government funding for certain vaccines, access to others depends on a mix of user-pay systems and varying jurisdictional funding – creating inconsistencies in affordability and accessibility across states and territories. Standardising funding mechanisms would ensure subsidies are uniformly applied – making vaccinations more affordable and accessible to all Australians.It will take some time to implement change, but there are some steps governments and regulators can take now
While some of the recommendations in the review, such as harmonising vaccination legislation, can be achieved in a timely fashion, others are sweeping reforms that will take many years, such as restructuring healthcare education – which currently impacts students and qualified pharmacists’ ability to work to their full scope. The review recommended the Commonwealth establish a primary care workforce development program to support the development and retention of a skilled, stable, and collaborative primary care workforce through enhanced curriculum, training, placement, and career development opportunities for students, supervisors, mentors, and health professionals.The current funding model must be overhauled
The current fee-for-service arrangement in primary care incentivises high-turnover care – with payments to providers based on the number and type of care episodes delivered. This model limits the ability of health professionals to work to their full scope and reduces multidisciplinary collaboration – with some healthcare professionals funded for certain services while others are not, including lack of funding for pharmacists to participate in multidisciplinary case conferences. To address this, the review recommends introducing a blended payment model to complement the fee-for-service system. This model would enable access to multidisciplinary healthcare delivered by professionals working to their full scope of practice in primary care. An independent mechanism would be established to advise on pricing and payment levels for the blended payment, ensuring adjustments based on the risk profile of patient populations. But it’s unlikely to be a quick fix. The review suggests the model would need to be implemented progressively over a 7-year period, beginning with priority areas such as rural and remote regions, Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations, and underserviced regional and outer metropolitan areas.Pharmacist prescribing programs should be nationally consistent
Implementing pharmacists prescribing rights has been an unnecessarily complex and prolonged process, with ad-hoc investigations, one-off reviews, and small-scale pilots. Adopting an activity-based approach would streamline regulation for community pharmacists in prescribing medications and promote consistency across jurisdictions. Introducing a dedicated mechanism to assess health workforce models would also fill a crucial gap, facilitating the systematic adoption of multidisciplinary primary care models that include pharmacists much like the successful models implemented in the United Kingdom.Improved use of technology should form the backbone of scope of practice changes
A key theme in the review was the need for better use of technology across the board to expand scopes of practice and efficiencies, improving quality of care. Potential areas for reform identified by the review include establishing access to real‑time patient information, introducing platforms for secure messaging and digital referrals and mandating participation in a multidisciplinary care team for primary care providers. ‘[We need to] improve the digital capability of a system that still uses far too many fax machines and too much paper,’ said Minister Butler.The government will respond, in time
The government is yet to respond to the key recommendations in the report, with Minister Butler confirming he will not ‘respond to each of the ideas’. ‘We want to consider them, but a lot of them do have a lot of common sense,’ he said. Other key stakeholders will also need to be consulted. ‘Many of the recommendations will require collaboration between the Commonwealth and state and territory governments, as well as consultation with peak professional organisations, AHPRA, patient groups, and the sector more broadly. I look forward to these discussions,’ Minister Butler added. But PSA has called for the government to accept all 18 recommendations and put forward a plan of action now. This review confirms PSA’s view that inconsistent regulations, unnecessary restrictions on practice, and siloed workforces are having a negative impact on patient access to quality health care, said PSA National President Associate Professor Fei Sim. ‘This report recognises the core role of pharmacies and pharmacists as primary healthcare providers and recommends a multidisciplinary approach to patient care,’ she said. ‘There is a clear alignment between Cormack’s recommendations and the actions in PSA’s vision for the pharmacy profession, Pharmacists in 2030. Both present a clear vision for the future that requires collaboration for a health system that works for patients.’What the health sector is saying
The Australian Medical Association has said that the government ‘must resist’ changes to scope of practice, maintaining its position for even more investment into general practice. Meanwhile, the Royal Australian College of GPs said the recommendations, if implemented, would ‘raid Medicare’, setting up for a ‘two-tiered health system where those who can afford to see a GP will, and those who can’t, don’t.’ But the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation said the review allows highly-trained health professionals to best utilise their skills, education and experience, allowing for the delivery of integrated, quality healthcare services across the community. Support also came from the National Rural Health Alliance, who welcomed the recommendations that seek to address some of the ‘inequalities faced by rural Australians when it comes to accessing healthcare.’ Outside of the health sector, the Business Council of Australia also welcomed the report, citing improving ‘productivity, patient experience and workforce satisfaction’ as necessary to a sustainable health system. [post_title] => Key recommendations to strengthen pharmacists’ role in healthcare [post_excerpt] => The scope of practice review recommends sweeping legislative change and solutions to funding challenges to improve healthcare services. [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => key-recommendation-to-strengthen-pharmacists-role-in-healthcare [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2024-11-06 17:01:11 [post_modified_gmt] => 2024-11-06 06:01:11 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://www.australianpharmacist.com.au/?p=28084 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [title_attribute] => Key recommendations to strengthen pharmacists’ role in healthcare [title] => Key recommendations to strengthen pharmacists’ role in healthcare [href] => https://www.australianpharmacist.com.au/key-recommendation-to-strengthen-pharmacists-role-in-healthcare/ [module_atts:td_module:private] => Array ( ) [td_review:protected] => Array ( ) [is_review:protected] => [post_thumb_id:protected] => 28086 [authorType] => )
td_module_mega_menu Object ( [post] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 28066 [post_author] => 9176 [post_date] => 2024-11-04 10:21:07 [post_date_gmt] => 2024-11-03 23:21:07 [post_content] => Patients with treatment-resistant schizophrenia or who are affected by significant adverse effects from antipsychotics may soon have a treatment which works on an entirely different mechanism of action. Schizophrenia affects between 150,000 and 200,000 Australians (one in 100), with over a third (34%) of patients experiencing treatment-resistant schizophrenia (TRS). Patients treated with antipsychotics are often beset by adverse effects, varying from minor tolerability issues such as mild sedation and dry mouth to disfiguring changes including severe weight gain and tardive dyskinesia. Those with TRS prescribed clozapine can also face the rare but life-threatening risk of developing myocarditis or agranulocytosis. But the first new antipsychotic to be released on the market in decades could help to change this, potentially having life-changing impacts on patients with schizophrenia. Cobenfy, which targets the cholinergic neurotransmitter system, was recently approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration. Australian Pharmacist sat down with Arthur Christopoulos FAA FAHMS FPS, Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at Monash University, to discuss how the medicine works, whether it will appear on the Australian market and what else is the pipeline that could transform our approach to mental ill health. Watch the video below to find out more. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qX2z3SgLHa0 [post_title] => Could this medicine revolutionise schizophrenia treatment? [post_excerpt] => Working on a new mechanism of action, this treatment could change the lives of patients with schizophrenia. But not all patients can take it. [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => could-this-new-medicine-revolutionise-schizophrenia-treatment [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2024-11-05 11:35:44 [post_modified_gmt] => 2024-11-05 00:35:44 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://www.australianpharmacist.com.au/?p=28066 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [title_attribute] => Could this medicine revolutionise schizophrenia treatment? [title] => Could this medicine revolutionise schizophrenia treatment? [href] => https://www.australianpharmacist.com.au/could-this-new-medicine-revolutionise-schizophrenia-treatment/ [module_atts:td_module:private] => Array ( ) [td_review:protected] => Array ( ) [is_review:protected] => [post_thumb_id:protected] => 28068 [authorType] => )
td_module_mega_menu Object ( [post] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 28047 [post_author] => 9164 [post_date] => 2024-10-30 15:03:49 [post_date_gmt] => 2024-10-30 04:03:49 [post_content] => The PSA is saddened to learn of the passing of life member William (Bill) Arnold MPS, who died peacefully in his sleep on Saturday (26 October 2024).Bill was an active community pharmacist and long-standing pharmacy owner in the ACT, who’s profound contribution to the profession and the Australian public spanned many roles and many decades.
Bill was a career-long member of the PSA, regularly attending events and lectures and volunteering his time and expertise for the benefit of the profession. Bill served on Special Interest Groups and was appointed as the pharmacy representative on a diverse range of boards and bodies including the ACT Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs Taskforce Working Group, the ACT Opiate Treatment Advisory Committee and the ACT Vulnerable Families Project.
In 2013, Bill celebrated 50 years of continuous PSA membership and was made a Life Member in recognition of his service to the profession and to PSA.
Bill was the first Chairman of the ACT Division of the Pharmaceutical Society of New South Wales in 1971. He made a significant contribution to the profession as a member of the ACT Pharmacy Board from 1998-2015. He was an active contributor to the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) and an inaugural member of the Pharmacy Guild of Australia’s ACT Branch Committee, who later recognised him as a life member. Bill was also one of the leaders behind Auspharmlist, one of the first online forums for pharmacists to collaborate and mentor each in the virtual world.
Outside of pharmacy, Bill had a love of the Australian bush, was a soccer tragic and undertook extensive chaplaincy work in prisons.
Upon awarding Mr Arnold the honour of life membership, then ACT Branch President Greg Kyle, recognised Bill as a stalwart of PSA for many years, describing his as ‘a very active member [whose] ongoing commitment to the profession and the community is an example that many other pharmacists look up to.’
‘He never shirks from volunteering to offer his expertise and his work has seen him appointed as the pharmacy representative on a diverse range of boards and bodies which have included the ACT Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs Taskforce Working Group, the ACT Opiate Treatment Advisory Committee and the ACT Vulnerable Families Project,’ Associate Professor Kyle said.
On receiving this honour, Bill reflected:
‘I seem to remember going from the Pharmacy Board Office in Sydney after collecting that bit of paper straight round to the PSA NSW Office to join. I have always enjoyed the community pharmacy environment and being able to help people, and this continues to be a great satisfaction for me. We have an expression in Hebrew; "Tikun Olam" which is translated in different ways. Essentially the concept is that each one of us should try to make the only world we have a better place.’
‘My father's version was that if you are part of anything you should be an active participant, and leave it better than when you started. I hope I have made a contribution to the profession.’His funeral will be held tomorrow (31 October 2024) in Canberra.
Vale Bill Arnold MPS.
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Australian Pharmacist is the official journal for Pharmaceutical Society of Australia Ltd.