Australians can soon expect shorter trading hours, less services, worsening medicine shortages and closures of local pharmacies.
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This is the dire warning of the Pharmacy Guild Australia following the introduction of the Federal Government's 60-day dispensing policy.
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The guild says the Federal Government's 60-day dispensing policy will result in a $3.5 billion cut to community pharmacies, leaving millions of patients worse off after the change comes into effect on September 1.
The newest owner of Harts Pharmacy in Crookwell, Brydie McDonald said patients in her community will be significantly worse off because of the new policy.
"This policy is going to seriously impact my patients in Crookwell. Because of these changes I'm going to have to look at the hours I keep my pharmacy open and the services I provide," Ms McDonald said.
"I don't want to be in a position of closing earlier and not being there for my patients when they need vital medicine and support.
"I'm calling on the Labor Government to rethink this policy and put patients first."
President of the NSW Branch of the Pharmacy Guild of Australia, David Heffernan, says the $3.5 billion cut would make it harder for patients to get medicine, advice, and services from their local pharmacist.
"If the Federal Government cannot provide a guarantee that no patient and no community pharmacy will be worse off under their new medicine policy, I don't know how they expect Australians to believe that this is not a cut to healthcare," Mr Heffernan said.
"The Government's $3.5 billion cut will unfortunately mean pharmacists will need to make tough decisions. Many will have to cut back on their opening hours, meaning patients will miss out on vital medicines and health services on evenings or weekends - and some will have to close entirely.
"We welcome common sense health reforms. But at the same time, they're asking 6000 pharmacies to support more patients while cutting 50 per cent of their funding.
"It just doesn't add up.
"Department of Health data provided to the guild shows as clear as day: the Federal Government is not reinvesting all the money they are cutting.
"What this means is pharmacists only have two options: cut back on hours, staff, or services - or close entirely."
Harts Pharmacy is one of just two in the town and Ms McDonald is concerned for the impacts the cuts are going to have on their thousands of customers.
"We have lots of customers that actually enjoy coming in as part of their routine and I would hate to start charging them for services that we have happily provided for at no cost in the past," she said.
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