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Letters to the Editor
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Dose administration aids
Australian government sees sense (will ours take notice?)
From Mr P. Williams, MRPharmS
I was interested to read that the Government of Australia is funding
a programme for retail pharmacists to supply packaged medicines — or
dose administration aids (DAAs) as they refer to them — for older
patients and those on multiple medicines to the value of A$72.9m, as
part of a fourth pharmacy agreement.
The programme, which will be managed by the Pharmacy Guild of Australia
with the support of the Pharmaceutical Society, follows the identification
of “significant heath benefits of the service” in the research
and development programme of the third community pharmacy agreement.
This is heartening to read. However, it does make me even more frustrated
about the lack of recognition the benefits of such aids receives by our
own Government. I hope the powers that be follow this programme closely
and it encourages them to provide the same support for pharmacies in
the UK.
I have been championing the use of such aids for years and I know pharmacists — including
myself — witness real benefits to patients’ health and are
using them more and more. For example, sales of our PlusPak products
are increasing by 50 per cent year on year, yet through the new contract
we receive little funding to support this, meaning many pharmacists are
providing these services out of goodwill.
It seems the message has got through in Australia with the guild describing
DAAs as “commonly used medication management devices that lead
to improved quality of life and better health outcomes for patients through
improved quality use of medicines. Along with regular pharmacy interaction,
DAAs can reduce adverse drug events and improve the patient’s ability
to manage their medicines”.
I could not have put it better myself. I just hope to see the same supportive
and proactive approach by our Government in the not too distant future
but I am not holding my breath.
P. Williams
Pharmacy Proprietor and Managing Director,
MTS Medication Technologies,
Darwen, Lancashire
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