In this episode of the AJP podcast, Dr Judith Singleton, from the School of Clinical Sciences, QUT, talks to host, Carlene McMaugh, about improving sustainability in the health care system and reducing the carbon footprint of health care.

Among the topics covered are:

Go here for the full list of active AJP podcasts. These can also be accessed via Apple Podcasts and Spotify

In the latest edition of the AJP podcast, our host, Carlene McMaugh, speaks to Neville about the risks pharmacists face when dealing with medicinal cannabis.

The topics covered include:

You can access the full transcript of this podcast here. While we endeavour to ensure all important words and phrases are correct, please note there may be some minor inaccuracies in the transcription.

ACCESS PODCAST TRANSCRIPT

Go here for the full list of active AJP podcasts. These can also be accessed via Apple Podcasts and Spotify

In the latest edition of the AJP podcast, our host, Carlene McMaugh, speaks to Abraham, about the opportunities that exist for pharmacists to educate and support Indigenous patients to self-manage conditions, including diabetes.

The topics covered include:

Go here for the full list of active AJP podcasts. These can also be accessed via Apple Podcasts and Spotify

Blake Hedley, who works at Hedley Partners with his father Paul – and between the two, they have around 60 years’ worth of advisory experience to pharmacists – talks about the challenges facing pharmacists, particularly young pharmacists, and tips on pharmacy ownership.

Challenges include a lack of supply thanks to caps on licences – “it’s like there’s only 6,500 houses in the whole of Australia!” – and how banks will only lend on valuation, when there may be other factors attracting pharmacists to own a particular store.

“It makes it very hard for younger people,” Hedley says. “It’s definitely a lot easier for the older pharmacists.”

Early career pharmacists are also affected by “downward pressure on their wages” with a fairly large HECS debt, particularly given its indexing; and “limitations in and around ownership opportunities” for those who want to go down that path.

We find out what makes a successful pharmacy owner – and how despite a nervousness about 60-day dispensing, the sector is likely to bounce back.

“Pharmacists used to put millions of dollars putting photo dispensing in their shops,” Hedley says. “Digital cameras came in and all that went away.”

Pharmacy services including vaccination and supply of vapes could help fill income gaps created by 60-day dispensing, Hedley says – just as other offers filled the gaps left by analogue photography.

“There’s always something around the corner for pharmacy.”

1.33 – Challenges for the reality of working in the industry for those who have newly qualified

3.59 – What’s been motivating pharmacists to buy pharmacies lately?

8.07 – Has bank lending criteria changed, with 60-day dispensing and other elements of change?

14.51 – As pharmacists can exclusively own pharmacies, what does that mean for tax and borrowing power?

16.27 – All about buying groups

18.33 – How many pharmacy transactions can happen in a year (and how did Covid change this)?

23.30 – The impacts of 60-day dispensing, and positive changes in its wake

27.04 – Which pharmacy owners fail, and which succeed?

31.54 – All about trading pharmacies

37.33 – Where to start when looking to buy a pharmacy

You can access the full transcript of this podcast here. While we endeavour to ensure all important words and phrases are correct, please note there may be some minor inaccuracies in the transcription.

ACCESS PODCAST TRANSCRIPT

Go here for the full list of active AJP podcasts. These can also be accessed via Apple Podcasts and Spotify

Echuca pharmacist in charge Shonae Zeman, who’s doing locum work after a year outside pharmacy, talks with the AJP Podcast’s host Carlene McMaugh about the key role of rural and regional pharmacies, and the risk of closure.

Zeman explains how rural pharmacy is adapting to manage the challenge of 60-day dispensing, with discussions of “Things like fee for service…price increases across the shop lines, reducing hours of opening of the pharmacy, reducing staff and also trying to monitor and minimise stock levels,” she says. “I think everyone’s a bit scared to pull the trigger and start increasing their prices.”

It’ll likely ramp up over the next “few waves” of medicines added to the list for 60-day dispensing, she says – and as negotiations for the 8CPA continue.

She’s concerned that pharmacists “don’t really know the narrative” and are left in “limbo” as they don’t know what’s happening – and it could be anything.

“If we do rely on all this government funding, and we get to the point where that is only really what’s keeping us afloat then if it’s pulled at any time, then how are businesses going to cope with that?

“Especially in rural pharmacy – the pharmacist is the main hub of the community, it’s people’s social outing for the day.

“The main concern for me is that pharmacies are going to struggle to stay open and be able to offer those services that we’ve been able to do so far.”

She said the biggest problem for rural communities is retaining staff – so she’s hopeful for incentives such as funding in the 8CPA to attract interns and other pharmacists.

There’s also the issue that “stock shortages are massive” and the time sink this represents – and the doctor shortage – “overwhelming” in Zeman’s words – is forcing pressure back onto pharmacists.

Go here for the full list of active AJP podcasts. These can also be accessed via Apple Podcasts and Spotify

In the latest edition of the AJP podcast, our host, Carlene McMaugh, speaks to Page about the expansion of pharmacists’ scope of practice in Victoria and around the country.

The topics covered include:

Go here for the full list of active AJP podcasts. These can also be accessed via Apple Podcasts and Spotify

CAPS representatives will attend the Dunkley (Victoria) by-election this weekend (2 March) to lobby against a Labor vote in protest against 60-day dispensing – and Victorian pharmacists are “very keen to assist,” says CAPS spokesperson Peppe Raso.

Raso explains why the group’s focus is now away from rallies – despite the “really good response” from the events in Sydney and Canberra in 2023 – and towards an “education opportunity for those who are undecided in that electorate”.

Raso and fellow CAPS spokesperson Christine Kelly tell AJP Podcast host Carlene McMaugh that this voter influencing campaign is here to stay.

“The Labor government is adamant on making us a third world country at the moment, and that’s not what we’re wanting,” said Kelly.

“This Dunkley by-election is really the first time any health care profession has come together united to show what we can do.

“And this is how we are going to apply the pressure – because this government doesn’t want to listen to us, they don’t want to consult with us, they don’t care if we’re kicking or screaming, but they will care if they lose their set.

“And unfortunately the only way that we’re going to be able to do this is to actually show up with the truth…and make their voters realise that voting for Labor means that health care in Australian will be ruined, broken, torn apart.

“Not only are we going to be at Dunkley, we’re going to be at the Cook (NSW) by-election to show and tell people not to vote for Labor either, and we’re going to be at every by-election, or election – it doesn’t matter whether it’s state or federal.

“We’re going to be there until we get an 8CPA that ensures that community pharmacy stays viable and ensures that we can stay open.”

Go here for the full list of active AJP podcasts. These can also be accessed via Apple Podcasts and Spotify

As the countdown nears for the graduation of the UKs first cohort of students to come out as independent pharmacy prescribers, a leader of the profession joins our podcast to talk about the ‘paradigm shift’ this represents to scope of practice.

Minesh Parbat is currently Chief Pharmacist of an integrated care system in the English midwest. He is also a independent prescribing pharmacist.

He talks to our podcast host, Carlene McMaugh, about the latest developments in UK pharmacy (at 4:30), including the development of independent prescribing and related legislative changes that allowed pharmacists to undergo further training to take on broader scope of practice roles.

Parbat also talks about the related growth of pharmacists working in broader healthcare teams and in additional locations of practice.

Other items under discussion include the growth of digital health and telehealth, and how we build competencies and confidence of the pharmacy workforce in these areas. 

Go here for the full list of active AJP podcasts. These can also be accessed via Apple Podcasts and Spotify

In the latest edition of the AJP podcast, our host, Carlene McMaugh, speaks to FIP president Paul Sinclair about the 

The topics covered include:

AJP editor Chris Brooker recently spoke to Paul Sinclair. Go here to see the article 

Go here for the full list of active AJP podcasts. These can also be accessed via Apple Podcasts and Spotify

Brooker talks to Carlene McMaugh about the top stories from last year, including “the unicorn of 2023” – double dispensing – and the way it came as a shock to the profession.

“Most people were incredibly concerned about the impact of 60-day dispensing,” he says, saying that as a result, feedback to the AJP included “a lot more concern than we get most years. Probably even getting to the stage of fear. Fear over the future, fear over job security, fear over financial security and I think, fear over the future of pharmacy in general”.

Also coming to the fore last year were issues of funding, particularly that affecting the livelihood of consultant pharmacists working in aged care.

Brooker says our top two stories both covered specific medicines, and chats about his predictions for 2024, including the importance of the 8CPA and potential consequences of the Chemist Warehouse-Sigma merger.

And he also has some sentiments to share for members of the profession – and an invitation to tell us your stories.

Go here for the full list of active AJP podcasts. These can also be accessed via Apple Podcasts and Spotify