Community pharmacies have vaccinated record numbers of patients against influenza this season, providing a significant boost to public health at a vital time.
Flu vaccine supplies which were pre-ordered long before COVID-19 was a known threat, struggled to meet the sharp increase in demand, leading to many community pharmacies running out of stock and having to waitlist patients.
Thankfully, more vaccines were ordered by the Federal Government and Health Minister Greg Hunt, and additional stock is now flowing to ensure all Australians who want a flu vaccination can have access to one at their local pharmacy or GP practice.
After so much work and service provided by community pharmacies under difficult circumstances, it is very disappointing to see the RACGP demanding that GP practices be prioritised over pharmacies in the distribution of flu vaccines.
When the Australian public are looking for collaboration and co-ordination from health professionals, the RACGP stoops to tawdry turfism. Rather than acknowledging the important contribution that pharmacies have made in helping increase vaccination rates in the community, the RACGP have made it all about them.
The ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ President of the Pharmacy Guild of Australia, George Tambassis, said: “The fact is, it was community pharmacists and their staff who continued to turn up and keep their doors open throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, serving patients face-to-face and providing influenza vaccination.
“It is true that stock ran out in the face of unprecedented demand, but that was the case for pharmacies too, including in regional areas. Indeed, a Guild survey of Member pharmacies in the final week of April found that 64 per cent of pharmacies had run out of their pre-ordered flu vaccine stock.
“Thank goodness more vaccines are being distributed this week and into June,” Mr Tambassis said.
“The way to maximise access to vaccination for all Australians is not prioritisation of general practice, but greater access to the ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Immunisation Program (NIP) through community pharmacies across Australia in all jurisdictions,” Mr Tambassis said.
