GPs Must Remain At The Centre Of Patient Care, Royal Australian College Of General Practitioners

In a proposal to the Federal Government, the Pharmacy Guild of Australia is recommending that pharmacists should be allowed to write repeat scripts for chronic conditions for up to 12 months as well as writing repeat scripts for low dose statins, the contraceptive pill and certain antibiotics, saying this will free up doctors' time. "The RACGP (Royal Australian College of General Practitioners) does not support the Pharmacy Guild's suggestion but does welcome discussion to improve the health care system," said Dr Vasantha Preetham, RACGP President and GP from Perth. "A general practitioner's role is much more than the provider of a 'script'. A quality reproductive health service considers of a history, appropriate tests, discussion of alternatives and, at regular intervals, consider sexually transmitted infection screening... [read full story]