Palliative Care Medicines Pharmacy Network
Wednesday, February 21 2024
The state government is committed to improving access to palliative care medicines for people with life-limiting illnesses to receive treatment at home and avoid unnecessary visits to the emergency department.
The Pharmacy Guild of Australia (South Australia Branch) has been commissioned to manage a network of 30 community pharmacies across metropolitan and regional South Australia.
The Palliative Care Medicines Pharmacy Network will improve access to a core list of palliative care medicines, as well as provide support, information, and advice to palliative care patients, their families and carers, and other health professionals.
The network complements existing community pharmacy access to palliative care medicines. Currently, palliative care medicines can be dispensed at any community pharmacy and many patients will continue to visit their usual pharmacy. However, the network pharmacies are available if they are not able to access medicines at their usual pharmacy.
Where practical, patients requiring after-hours access to medicines should visit a 24-7 pharmacy with a prescription. In urgent situations, when a 24-7 pharmacy is not suitable, a health professional may contact a network pharmacist regarding an after-hours call back. This arrangement only applies to the listed core palliative care medicines and a prescription is required.
For more information, including referral information, visit the SA Health website.