From September 1, millions of Australians will be able to buy two months’ worth of medicine for the price of a single prescription, with general patients saving up to $180 a year and needing fewer visits to the GP.
But pharmacists say the small saving of under $200 a year for most, coming out of pharmacy coffers, will come at a terrible cost.
Pharmasave Padstow’s Michael Ibrahim says 400 medications are already in short supply.
“We are already trying to limit the numbers of packets of panadol and paracetamol medications that customers can buy and now we are going to be doing the opposite,” he said.
“These changes will also hit pharmacists hard and I can see many small to medium-sized pharmacies going to the wall.”
Pharmacy 4 Less Revesby intern pharmacist Mustafa Ashour says patient safety should come first and allowing people to obtain scripts in advance is not professional.
“As it is, pharmacies have to sell other products, like vitamins, just to make ends meet,” he said.
“I can see pharmacists forced to charge a consultation fee for health advice which they have always given for free; they even kept their doors open during covid when doctors did not.
“Others will be looking to reduce staff hours; the forecast is that these moves will result in 12,000 to 15,000 pharmacy jobs being lost.”
Rothschild Avenue Pharmacy’s Tim Iskander says the Government should have consulted with the pharmacy industry.
“Shortages already exist for medications to treat a range of conditions, including blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol, depression, anxiety, osteoporosis and Parkinson’s Disease,” he said.
“This policy will lead to panic buying, medicine hoarding and increased overdoses.”
