GPs’ ‘grease the wheels’ role in medicine changes infuriates pharmacy owners
A private Facebook post by GPs’ peak body president has taken the turf war between doctors and pharmacists to new levels.
The head of the nation’s College of General Practice has been asked to explain a private Facebook post that gloated that a shift to 60-day prescribing of medicines was a “major disrupter” to the powerful Pharmacy Guild and described her role in “greasing the wheels” with government to push the policy.
The Royal Australian College of GPs president Nicole Higgins posted on her personal Facebook page ahead of the announcement that 325 medicines would be subject to 60-day dispensing for the price of one co-payment by thanking her collective team who advocated for the change.
“A lot of work has happened behind the scenes to get this across the line,” Dr Higgins said. “This is a major disrupter to the Guild.
“This is advocacy and thank you to the collective team who have worked hard on this. My job was to grease the wheels.”
The screenshot has been going viral among pharmacists and the president of the Victorian branch of the Pharmacy Guild Anthony Tassone said on LinkedIn on Friday morning that he had been “inundated with messages of disbelief”.
The spat broke out as it emerged as thousands of pharmacists had discussed the possibility of rolling out a series of unprecedented strike actions including refusing to fill patients’ scripts.
Many pharmacists are devastated about the change to 60-day dispensing which will significantly hit their incomes and are concerned already significant medicine shortages will worsen.
The Pharmacy Guild has estimated individual pharmacies will lose on average $170,000 a year in income.
Doctors’ groups have welcomed the changes as a win for consumers who stand to save hundreds of dollars a year and gain in terms of convenience.
The Pharmacy Guild immediately moved to mobilise a fierce political campaign against the Albanese government over the policy change, with Dr Higgins’ post now taking the turf war between doctors and pharmacists to new levels.
Dr Higgins’ indicated in her post that the RACGP – which is furiously campaigning against the nationwide expansion of pharmacy prescribing – would now turn its sights on the Pharmacy Guild’s “location and ownership monopoly” which prevents consumers being able to buy medicines at doctors’ surgeries or supermarkets.
“The words speak for themselves,” Mr Tassone said of Dr Higgins’ Facebook post. “In celebrating the announcement of the 60-day dispensing policy, which we fear could have unintended consequences for patients with reduced pharmacy accessibility and increase in costs for their services from pharmacies – she doesn’t mention patients once.
“It’s a “disrupter” to the guild. It will hurt the pharmacy profession. Next is other areas of pharmacy regulation.
“Last time I checked, doctors and pharmacists were meant to be on the same team, Team Patient. But it seems when Dr Higgins is in the company of her colleagues it’s about hurting the pharmacy profession.
“This post from Dr Higgins has made some of my pharmacist colleagues question the professional relationship with their local GPs. Do they think the same?
“As one colleague put to me “It’s like she’s dancing on our grave” as their extremely worried about their pharmacy’s viability and ability to serve patients with the implementation of this policy. That’s devastating to hear because this hasn’t been my experience but this is what the GPs leader is saying.”
Dr Higgins did not wish to comment on the leaked Facebook post on Friday, but said: “GPs work closely with our pharmacy colleagues and it is good to know that these savings will be reinvested in community pharmacy with increased funding for dosing aids and medication reviews.”
The controversy comes as the union representing employee pharmacists raise concerns that those that work for retailers are being caught in the middle of the war over medicines and are being pressured to join political campaigns.
Professional Pharmacists Australia has issued advice to its members, a proportion of whom support the shift to 60-day dispensing, that they have the right to abstain from taking part in any political campaigns launched by employers.
“We have received inquiries from both members and non-members who have expressed concerns about being approached to join the Pharmacy Guild campaign on the basis that they could lose their jobs as a result of the changes,” the PPA said in advice to its members.
“We object to employee pharmacists feeling pressured to take part in the Pharmacy Guild’s campaign and as employees you have the right to abstain from political campaigns.”
The pharmacy union said its acknowledged there was a diversity of views among employee pharmacists about the change to 60-day dispensing for some medicines.
“We acknowledge the federal government’s dispensing policy provides benefits for community health and will reduce medication costs and provide greater ease of access to vital medication for community members with chronic illness,” the union said.
“However the potential impact of the policy on employee pharmacists requires further consideration, particularly in regional locations where communities rely heavily on their local pharmacy.
“We note the federal government has indicated that it will be investing more funding in regional pharmacy in the upcoming budget and we look forward to receiving more information about the extent and nature of the reinvestment.
“Overwork remains a problem for many employee pharmacists and 60-day dispensing may also assist in alleviating unsustainable workloads for employee pharmacists that continued after the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“These workloads will further increase under the Pharmacy Guild’s proposal to expand the scope of practice for community pharmacists.
“Additionally, the implications of 60-day dispensing for both the employment and remuneration of employee pharmacists, one of the lowest paid professions in Australia, must also be considered.
We look forward to meetings with the federal government to discuss the concerns of our members and to hear how these can be addressed over the coming months.”
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