The Minister for Health and Aged Care Mark Butler has revealed that aged care facilities will no longer provide onsite pharmacist programs. Instead, community pharmacies will deliver the $350 million allocated for the program.
Aged & Community Care Providers Association (ACCPA) CEO Tom Symondson expressed disappointment, “Regular medication reviews and Improved medication management in aged care homes was a recommendation of the Aged Care Royal Commission aimed at improving the quality of care in residential aged care.”
The $350-million onsite pharmacy program was established in response to recommendations from the Aged Care Royal Commission and confirmed in the last federal budget.
The government has announced that the funding for pharmacy services in aged care homes will go towards community pharmacists to conduct Resident Medication Management Reviews (RMMR).
