Plan for pharmacists to prescribe under GP direction ‘could be very positive’: state AMA
Autonomous pharmacist prescribing for UTIs is still too risky, says GP Dr John Saul.
The Tasmanian Government will let GPs delegate aged care prescribing to pharmacists as part of a trial that has cautious support from the state AMA.
But a second announcement from Tasmanian Minister for Health Guy Barnett that pharmacists will diagnose and treat UTIs has doctors alarmed over potential misdiagnosis once again.
Mr Barnett said on Thursday that both the UTI trial and the delegated prescribing trial would begin this year, with an “implementation plan” under development.
“We know many GPs spend valuable time reissuing prescriptions for residents rather than spending that time addressing residents’ emerging health needs,” said Mr Barnett.
