RACGP: Pharmacist prescribing pilot a medicolegal nightmare for GPs
President Dr Karen Price says there will be a lack of visibility over what is happening to patients if pharmacists start diagnosing and prescribing
The RACGP is warning GPs to be wary of serious medicolegal risks if they end up managing patients caught up in the Queensland pharmacist diagnosing and prescribing pilot.
Under the draft proposal, revealed on Thursday by Australian Doctor, pharmacists would be able to diagnose and initiate treatments across 23 medical conditions, including as COPD, type 2 diabetes and hypertension.
They would also be free to change drug formulations without prior approval from the original prescriber if they believe it clinically necessary.
RACGP president Dr Karen Price described the scheme — which if adopted by the Queensland Government, could be up and running in June this year — as “outrageous”.
