ACCHO Pharmacists Support
The NACCHO medicines team supports pharmacists working in ACCHOs, to help improve the way medicines and medicines information are provided to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
What we do
We support a network of pharmacists working in ACCHOs in every State and Territory of Australia, in diverse settings from capital cities to remote areas. We can draw on this wide range of experience to inform our policy work and in return share resources so that patients have access to the latest best practice medicines and information.
How we contribute to solutions
Pharmacists working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are supported in the following ways:
NACCHO Medicines Network – a communication network managed by NACCHO for people working within the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health sector to learn and share information about medicines activities and projects. Participants may include Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers and Practitioners; pharmacists that work with ACCHOs and AHSs; medical, nursing and public health practitioners; medicines or other policy officers; ACCHO board members, executive and staff; and others with an interest in medicines use in ACCHOs and/or AHSs. Sign up to receive our monthly NACCHO Medicines Network Update. This newsletter provides information regarding recent changes to PBS medications, new medication related resources, program information, pharmacy-related news and more.
ACCHO Pharmacist Leadership Group- In 2017, NACCHO convened an ACCHO Pharmacist Leadership Group with the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia, consisting of pharmacists working with ACCHOs across Australia. In addition to the Leadership group, NACCHO facilitates a monthly catch up for ACCHO pharmacists.
NACCHO 2017 Conference Inaugural NACCHO-PSA ACCHO Pharmacist Leadership Group
Back, left to right: Sophie Lawson (NACCHO), Gina Adams (Pika Wiya), Chastina Heck (Logan Hospital), Mike Stephens (NACCHO), Chris Braithwaite (Galambila), Himali Kaniyal (PSA), Tinu Abraham (Victorian Aboriginal Health Service), Lucky Zeniou (Institute for Urban Indigenous Health).
Front, left to right: Hannah Mann (Kimberly Pharmacy Services), Joanna Martin (Kimberly Aboriginal Medical Service), Alice Nugent (Dubbo AMS).
Our impact
Pharmacists have been working in ACCHOs for many years. NACCHO has conducted world leading research that shows when pharmacists are embedded as part of the health service team, patients have better health and feel better about the medicines they are taking.
Our approach
NACCHO partners with our local members and national organisations such as the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) to help integrate pharmacists into ACCHOs.
NACCHO and the PSA co-designed the Deadly Pharmacist training course to teach the skills needed to begin to work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander primary health care services.
There is no cost to complete the course. Click here to be taken to the PSA enrolment page.
Case study
The Integrating Pharmacists within Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services to Improve Chronic Disease Management (IPAC) study was a collaborative partnership between James Cook University, the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia and NACCHO. The IPAC project, which took place from August 2018 until October 2019, integrated 26 pharmacists into 18 Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs) across Queensland, Victoria, and the Northern Territory, with 1,733 consenting participants.
Australia’s principal medical advisory group, the Australian Government Medical Services Advisory Committee (MSAC) has recommended the model for public funding. The independent expert advice recognises the significant impact pharmacists can have when integrated into comprehensive primary healthcare teams.
MSAC considered that the model was safe and effective compared to usual care. MSAC considered that the estimated costs for providing this integrated, collaborative, culturally appropriate patient-centred care to improve health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples was good value for money.
Key findings from the project include:
- a significant improvement in self-reported adherence to medicines
- clinically significant improvements in the control of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors and glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes
- reduced risk of chronic disease patients developing CVD.
NACCHO is looking forward to working with government on rolling-out this important service nationally.
Chair of NACCHO Donnella Mills:
“Having the support of MSAC confirms when pharmacists are present within our services, both patients and staff at the clinic are better supported to provide safe and effective use of medicine. Our member services have been calling for support and funding for non-dispensing pharmacists integrated into ACCHOs for years, this endorsement further validates their requests and demonstrates the impact of team-based community-controlled healthcare.”
For more information from MSAC click here.
Resources
ACCHO locations
NACCHO oversees a network of 146 members, each running Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs) across urban, regional, and remote Australia. These ACCHOs range from large facilities with multiple healthcare professionals providing comprehensive services to smaller centres focused on preventive care and health education, primarily delivered by Aboriginal Health Workers and nurses.
Contact
For any inquiries or further information about the Medicines and Pharmacy team at: medicines@naccho.org.au.
