More on the Proposed Pharmacy Trial

The NSW Liberal and Nationals Government has announced that if re-elected it will implement a 12-month pharmacy trial, that will see:

• the patient consultation fee for the treatment of urinary tract infections (UTIs) and the contraceptive pill covered;
• commencement of the prescribing trial for the treatment of UTIs on 1 April 2023; and
• acceleration of the commencement of the trial for the renewal of oral contraceptive pill prescriptions to 1 July 2023. In addition, the trial will allow pharmacists to extend an original script for the pill issued by a GP or nurse practitioner in the past 2 years.

Member for Goulburn, Mrs Wendy Tuckerman said the Australian-first pharmacy plan would extend the scope of what many pharmacists can already prescribe, enhancing their role in providing direct care to the community.

“We all know and appreciate the vital role our community pharmacists play in providing healthcare, and they will now be in a position to help ease the pressure on other areas of the health system, including primary care providers and hospitals,” Mrs Tuckerman said.

“This reform will ease the pressure on primary care and ensure locals are able to access the care they need, when they need it.”

NSW Health will work with participating pharmacists who will be required to undertake additional training for these specific conditions to ensure safe prescribing practices.

The NSW Government has partnered with the University of Newcastle to design and implement the clinical trial.

Data gathered from the clinical trial will be used to inform any future changes to the role of pharmacists in the healthcare system.

Under the NSW Government’s pharmacy reforms, residents of NSW have also been able to access additional vaccinations from pharmacists since November 2022.

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