‘Patient safety must come first’: GPs urge patients to consult with their regular GP

Victorian GPs are urging patients to consult with their regular GP, rather than going to a chemist for a “quick fix” that may not address the real problem. 

It comes following the state’s Health Department launching a media campaign for pharmacy prescribing. 

Royal Australian College of GPs (RACGP) Victoria Chair Dr Anita Muñoz encouraged patients to seek care from a GP who knows them, and this history 

“Patient safety must come first,” she said. 

“We’re urging people to see a GP for a diagnosis because there is no such thing as a ‘simple’ health condition, and pharmacists are not trained to diagnose. GPs spend over a decade training including practising under supervision for many years to diagnose a myriad of health conditions. 

“This program is allowing pharmacists to hand out medicines, including antibiotics, based off checklists and flowcharts after a short online course – this cannot replace a medical diagnosis, and patients accessing these services from chemists need to know that. 

“Removing the GP diagnosis presents significant risks to patient safety, including incorrect treatment, delayed diagnosis, serious illnesses being missed, and increasing antimicrobial resistance, which will cost the health system more in the long term.  

“There are numerous reports of misdiagnosis and incorrect treatment from pharmacist prescribing programs in Queensland and New South Wales, and we fear we will see the same in Victoria. The pilot report showed of the patients who sought treatment for urinary tract infections symptoms in Victoria, 13% did not resolve. 

“We know the pharmacy lobby is pursuing a risky widespread pharmacy prescribing agenda across Australia, and they are ignoring the medical experts, and supressing debate. As a GP practising in Melbourne, it is deeply concerning and frustrating to see Victoria succumbing.” 

The College Victoria Chair said that high-quality patient care must always be paramount and warned that the community pharmacy program removes a key safeguard by supporting pharmacists to both prescribe and dispense medicine. 

“This is a fundamental conflict of interest. We’ve already seen the risks of prioritising profit in the telehealth space, and it is critical that these mistakes are not repeated in the rollout of pharmacy prescribing,” she said. 

"We will continue to advocate for a model that prioritises patient health and safety over shortcuts. The best care for patients is collaborative, and we need more government support for multidisciplinary models of care.  

“GPs and pharmacists each bring vital expertise to the healthcare system, and GPs value the work of pharmacists in all corners of the country. We back sensible measures such as funding for practices to add more pharmacists as part of a collaborative GP-led multidisciplinary care approach.”  

~ENDS 

RACGP spokespeople are available for interviews: 03 8699 0992 / [email protected].