Pharmacists call for more support for Mental Health

Pharmacists call for more support for Mental Health and Addictions patients
Media release: 26 November 2019

The "precarious state of New Zealand's public health services" has been laid bare in a new Association of Salaried Medical Specialists (ASMS) report, Hospitals on the Edge.

Pharmaceutical Society of New Zealand President Ian McMichael says he is “most concerned about the report and in particular the increase in Mental Health and Addiction (MHA) patients.”

The report states that “between 2008/09 and 2015/16 the number of MHA clients seen by DHB services increased by 28.8%.

“Pharmacists could do more to help and support MHA patients by providing medication counselling and management services, which would avoid re-hospitalisations by better managing those patients in the community.”

“We have MHA patients coming into pharmacies every day across the country to pick up their medications and sometimes they have very serious health concerns.”

“Pharmacists are trained health professionals competent to provide help and support MHA patients in the community.”

“Pharmacists have proven stroke patients can have better managed medication and testing through pharmacy, which prevent hospitalisations.”

“We are now helping to prevent measles hospitalisations by providing MMR vaccinations.”

“Pharmacists could provide more support for MHA patients in the community.”

ENDS

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