Pharmacy Guild suspends campaign as 60-day dispensing begins

The pharmacy sector says Labor has committed to negotiations and is hopeful of a deal for more funding.

Anthony Albanese visits a Mackay pharmacy in northern Queensland. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Daryl Wright

The Pharmacy Guild of Australia has agreed to suspend its campaign against 60-day dispensing after the Albanese government agreed to bring forward negotiations for new funding arrangements.

The Labor policy, which doubles the amount of drugs available from a single script, started on Friday as planned, but the pharmacies hope they can negotiate higher dispensing fees after warnings the changes would lead to drug shortages, increased service fees and pharmacy closures.

The government has committed to negotiate for a new community pharmacy agreement to come into effect on March 1, three months earlier than anticipated.  Health Minister Mark Butler on Friday said he was confident the new deal would deliver strong certainty for the sector but held firm on his commitment to ­deliver cheaper medicines.

“We’ve agreed to sit down and negotiate the next funding agreement for community pharmacy with pharmacy groups from today,” he said.

The Coalition on Friday seized on the deal, arguing Mr Butler had “finally heard our calls” to protect the pharmacy sector.

Opposition health spokeswoman Anne Ruston said the ­Coalition and the community pharmacy sector had advocated for more affordable medicines without risking pharmacy closures.

“The Coalition will always stand up for the best interests of Australians, and we are pleased that the Minister for Health has finally heard our calls and will immediately enter into new negotiations,” Senator Ruston said.

“Pharmacists are very highly regarded members of local communities, and for this government to totally dismiss consultation and force a measure on them that would potentially see thousands of job losses was ­inconceivable.”

Pharmacy Guild president Trent Twomey said pharmacists wanted cheaper medicines but said it could be achieved without negatively affecting community pharmacies.

He said pharmacists were willing to step up and provide more primacy-care services for patients and looked forward to expanding the sector’s remit.

“We thank the Prime Minister and the Health Minister for hearing our concerns and 60-day dispensing, along with other reforms, will now be dealt with in the normal way under a community pharmacy agreement,” Mr Twomey said.

“Pharmacists are ready, willing and able to step up and provide more care and services to patients at a time when the health system is under significant strain.

“We must ensure the core clinical service of community pharmacies – the dispensing of prescription medicines – is remunerated appropriately.”