Bill Woods is joined by Adjunct Professor Karen Price, President of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, who have warned the New South Wales Government in the strongest possible terms to abandon its plan to dramatically expand the scope of pharmacists state-wide.

News has emerged that the NSW Government will push for pharmacists to be able to prescribe antibiotics, the contraceptive pill and repeat scripts for conditions such as high blood pressure, with patients paying a private fee to the local pharmacist who will prescribe and dispense drugs on the spot.

The college understands the first stage of the reform will be announced today, with pharmacists able to administer a wider range of vaccinations. The next stage will involve a year-long trial similar to the Queensland experiment where pharmacists will be able to prescribe medication for antibiotics for urinary tract infections (UTIs).

The final stage will allow trained pharmacists to prescribe medications for a range of conditions such as gastro, nausea and vomiting, allergies, shingles, dermatitis, psoriasis, acne, and hormonal contraception.

RACGP President Adj. Professor Karen Price urged the NSW Government to put patient safety ahead of pharmacy owner profits.

“Stop this madness before it’s too late, this is a recipe for disaster plain and simple.” she says.

“Healthcare is about more than just writing prescriptions and sending people out the door on their way. This alarming NSW scheme promises to be little more than a dangerous script writing service that puts patient safety in jeopardy.”

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