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Pharmacists seek prescribing powers as NDIS cuts loom and Victorian government faces poll pressure

From The Guardian · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News From a news agency Context piece
  • Pharmacists are advocating for expanded prescribing powers to alleviate pressure on GPs and the healthcare budget, potentially saving the system $1 billion annually.
  • Proposed changes to Australia's National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) are expected to significantly reduce participant numbers and shift costs onto families and informal carers.
  • New polling indicates a sharp decline in support for Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan's government, suggesting a potential loss in the upcoming November election.

Pharmacists in Australia are pushing for broader authority to prescribe medications, arguing it would reduce strain on general practitioners and the federal budget. Trials in various states already permit chemists to prescribe for conditions like hormonal contraception and UTIs. The Pharmacy Guild of Australia released a report suggesting that expanding these powers to include asthma, COPD, and cardiovascular risk reduction could save the health system $1 billion annually. This expansion could also free up over 10 million GP appointments and prevent 30,000 hospitalizations each year, according to modeling by HTANALYSTS.

Meanwhile, advocacy groups are warning that significant changes to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) will disproportionately affect women and families of disabled Australians. The government's inquiry into proposed NDIS reforms, aimed at curbing ballooning costs, is expected to hear evidence that eligibility changes will negatively impact mothers of disabled children. The Grattan Institute estimates that $11 billion of the projected $16.6 billion savings by 2029/30 will come from stricter eligibility assessments, potentially reducing NDIS participants by one-third. Short-term measures will primarily cut social and community participation funding, forcing many clients to rely on family support.

This modelling shows that empowering specially trained pharmacists to prescribe for appropriate conditions isn’t just good for patients - it’s good for the entire health system.

— Trent TwomeyPharmacy Guild president Trent Twomey commented on the findings of a report advocating for expanded pharmacist prescribing powers.

Women With Disabilities Australia has cautioned that care responsibilities will likely fall more heavily on women, potentially requiring them to take time off work. In Victorian politics, dire polling suggests Premier Jacinta Allan's government faces a significant defeat in the November election. A Freshwater Strategy poll for the Herald Sun shows Labor's primary vote at 23%, trailing the Coalition's 27% and a surging One Nation at 25%. If these numbers hold, the 12-year-old Labor government could be ousted.

These savings won’t be achieved without shifting costs onto families and informal carers.

— Grattan InstituteThe Grattan Institute noted the financial implications of proposed NDIS changes in its submission to a government inquiry.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Guardian in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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