August 2022

Pharmacist and non-practising legal expert Máté Hegedus-Gaspar looks at how to handle dispensing errors to limit damage and hopefully forestall disciplinary action

A government announcement that pharmacists could dispense two COVID-19 antivirals without prescription from 28 July created a stir last month, reports Jonathan Chilton-Towle

A 3 per cent offer from the National Annual Agreement Review negotiations for the Integrated Community Pharmacy Services Agreement is ready to be presented to contract holders.

The Independent Community Pharmacy Group has widened its legal challenge to target Countdown Pharmacy’s corporate ownership structure. 

Staff sickness and shortages are taking their toll on the sector, with a Pharmacy Today online survey showing some businesses are reducing their hours, while morale is plummeting. Paulette Crowley reports 

Māori health leaders hope the decolonisation of traditional rongoā healing will help to improve health outcomes for Māori. With ACC funding rongōa services and promises of more contracts, pharmacists supporting rongoā welcome its partnership with mainstream medicine. Paulette Crowley reports 

A rongoā practitioner in Queenstown shares a clinic with a pharmacist, bringing a holistic healing choice to local patients 

Brendon McIntosh (Kāi Tahu) of Kia Kaha Chemist travels around the South Island to marae and community centres giving talks on wellbeing for Te Pūtahitanga o Te Waipounamu, the Whanau Ora Commissioning Agency for the South Island. He also locums a few days a week in community pharmacy.

Pharmacy continues to claim its place as a vaccination destination, with a quarter of the country’s flu supplies.