Community Pharmacy Leaders Forum considers key sector issues

The Community Pharmacy Leaders Forum (CPLF), a collaboration of pharmacy organisation leaders with a focus on New Zealand community pharmacies, had a productive meeting this week focused on developing a unified response to key issues facing community pharmacy.

CPLF identified a range of responses to challenges creating concerns for various stakeholders, including addressing workforce pressures, to delivering equitable health outcomes and increasing the scope of service offerings.

“CPLF members were supportive of the current work being led by the Pharmacy Guild and Green Cross Health focused on fully or partially removing the $5 co-payment to improve service access for vulnerable populations and equity of health outcomes,” says CPLF Chair, and Pharmacy Guild President Cameron Monteith.

CPLF welcomed the Health and Disability System Review’s interim report. Cameron Monteith says the Forum will contribute further to the review before the final report, as it presents a great opportunity for community pharmacy to further contribute to improving health and wellness outcomes.

CPLF discussed the importance of scaling-up successful local innovative service models. “There are a range of excellent services being delivered in some local areas”, Cameron Monteith says. “We’re keen to support the expansion of these services to provide availability to all New Zealanders. It’s also important community pharmacy has input and representation into mental health and addiction service development.”

CPLF is also looking to give feedback to the Federation of Primary Health Aotearoa New Zealand on the role community pharmacy can play in the first 1,000 days of life and their work on a sustainable workforce. Closer connections and alignment with the Pharmacy Sector Strategy Group (PSSG), led by the Pharmaceutical Society was also discussed.

CPLF chair Cameron Monteith says the robust discussion confirms the sector’s preparedness to address key issues. “The members of our Forum have common opportunities and challenges. Through working together, we are finding solutions for our organisations, and more equitable services for all New Zealanders.”

CPLF consists of the leaders from Pharmacy Guild of New Zealand, Pharmaceutical Society of New Zealand, Green Cross Health Limited, Canterbury Community Pharmacy Group, MidCentral Community Pharmacy Group, Midlands Community Pharmacy Group and Bay of Plenty Community Pharmacy Group.