Barwon Pharmacy Group owner J. J. Walia calls for pharmacists to counter strain on GPs

Local pharmacists are stepping up to fill the gap, as more and more regional Victorians are resorting to emergency department visits after waiting weeks to see a GP.

A Geelong mum is warning regional Victorians are resorting to emergency department visits after waiting weeks to see a GP – when they could’ve just gone to the pharmacy.

Karen Ridgeway said her daughter came down with nasty urinary tract infection (UTI) symptoms over the weekend – while their local GP was closed.

“We wanted to see a doctor as you need to get on top of those symptoms quickly,” she said.

“So instead we went to the pharmacy straight away.

“It prevented her from getting a lot worse.”

Ms Ridgeway said she knew it was not uncommon for someone to present with UTI symptoms, and books in to see their local GP, but after waiting weeks for their appointment, symptoms have gotten so bad they’re admitted to emergency with a kidney infection.

Barwon Pharmacy Group managing director J.J Walia said it was “very common” for these patients to end up in emergency.

Mr Walia is one of many pharamacists taking part in the Victorian Community Pharmacist Statewide Pilot which allows pharmacists to treat everyday conditions.

Pharmacists taking part in the pilot are able to administer treatments for simple conditions like UTIs, shingles, and mild plaque psoriasis as well as administering vaccinations and resupplying oral contraceptives.

Mr Walia said no appointment was required to see pharmacists which reduced wait times for regional patients.

“It’s a game changer and we’d like it to become permanent,” Mr Walia said.

“We’re not taking away from GPs or doctors, we’re working in collaboration with them.

“We take a load off the emergency department, and it’s really a way to provide faster, more affordable healthcare in the Greater Geelong region.”

According to the Victorian Pharmacy Guild data, 19 per cent of regional Victorians are waiting more than threes weeks to see a GP, with 15 per cent resorting to a visits to the emergency departments for help with everyday conditions.

“As a profession we’d loved to expand our pharmacists’ scope from July 2025, enabling treatment for 23 additional everyday conditions, including asthma, nausea, hay fever, and minor wounds,” Mr Walia said.

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A Victorian Pharmacy Guild is urging this expansion, a spokeswoman saying already after the first 10,000 Pilot consultations 97 per cent of patients reported satisfaction.

She said 83 per cent of Victorians trust pharmacists to treat everyday conditions, and 89 per cent of regional residents support pharmacies providing more health services.

The pilot trail follows multiple calls for state intervention after ambulance ramping and dangerously long waits at various Geelong emergency departments.

Originally published as Barwon Pharmacy Group owner J. J. Walia calls for pharmacists to counter strain on GPs