Chapter 1 - Introduction

[1]        Journals of the Senate, No. 9–11 October 2016, pp. 290–291.

[2]        Journals of the Senate, No. 73–28 November 2017, p. 2314.

[3]        Department of Health, 'National Medicines Policy ', http://www.health.gov.au/nationalmedicinespolicy (accessed 15 February 2018).

[4]        Department of Health, 'National Medicines Policy Document', http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/national-medicines-policy (accessed 15 February 2018). The other three objectives are: medicines meeting appropriate standards of quality, safety and efficacy; quality use of medicines; and maintaining a responsible and viable medicines industry.

[5]        Part VII of the National Health Act 1953 (Cth).

For further information on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, see: Department of Health, 'Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme', http://www.health.gov.au/PBS (accessed 15 February 2018).

For further information on the Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, see: Department of Veterans' Affairs, 'RPBS', https://www.dva.gov.au/tags/rpbs (accessed 15 February 2018).

[6]        Department of Health, Annual Report 2016–17, p. 138.

[7]        Department of Health, Submission 7, p. 4; Keith Tracey-Patte, Assistant Secretary, Systems Branch, Provider Benefits Integrity Division, Department of Health, Committee Hansard, 27 November 2017, p. 23.

[8]        Department of Health, Submission 7, p. 4, which described community pharmacies as 'an integral part of Australia's health care system'.

[9]        King, S., Watson, J. and Scott, W., Review of Pharmacy Remuneration and Regulation, Interim Report, Prepared for the Department of Health, June 2017, pp. 115–119, http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/content/7E5846EB2D7BA299CA257F5C007C0E21/$File/interim-report-final.pdf (accessed 15 February 2018).

[10]      Australian Government, Sixth Community Pharmacy Agreement, 2015, http://www.pbs.gov.au/general/pbs-access-sustainability/signed-sixth-community-pharmacy-agreement-commonwealth-and-pharmacy-guild.pdf (accessed 15 February 2018).

[11]      Further information on these funding elements can be found at: Department of Health, 'Sixth Community Pharmacy Agreement', http://www.pbs.gov.au/info/general/sixth-community-pharmacy-agreement (accessed 15 February 2018).

[12]      Australian Government, Sixth Community Pharmacy Agreement, 2015, clause 8 and sub-clause 7.2, http://www.pbs.gov.au/general/pbs-access-sustainability/signed-sixth-community-pharmacy-agreement-commonwealth-and-pharmacy-guild.pdf (accessed 15 February 2018).

[13]      Items 121–124 in Part 1 of Schedule 1 of the National Health (Australian Community Pharmacy Authority Rules) Determination 2011 (PB 65 of 2011).

[14]      Items 130–136 in Part 2 of Schedule 1 of the National Health (Australian Community Pharmacy Authority Rules) Determination 2011 (PB 65 of 2011).

[15]      Subsection 90(3C) and section 997 of the National Health Act 1953 (Cth); Australian Government, Sixth Community Pharmacy Agreement, 2015, clause 7, http://www.pbs.gov.au/general/pbs-access-sustainability/signed-sixth-community-pharmacy-agreement-commonwealth-and-pharmacy-guild.pdf (accessed 15 February 2018).

[16]      Schedule 5 of the National Health Amendment (Pharmaceutical Benefits—Budget and Other Measures) Bill 2017; Commonwealth of Australia, Budget Measures: Budget Paper No. 2, 2017–2018, p. 115, http://www.budget.gov.au/2017-18/content/bp2/download/bp2_expense.pdf (accessed 15 February 2018).

[17]      For further information on the five terms of reference, see: 'Review of Pharmacy Remuneration and Regulation', http://www.pbs.gov.au/reviews/pharmacy-remuneration-and-regulation/review-of-pharmacy-remuneration-and-regulation-terms-of-reference.pdf (accessed 15 February 2018).

[18]      Department of Health, 'Review of Pharmacy Remuneration and Regulation', http://www.health.gov.au/pharmacyreview (accessed 15 February 2018).

[19]      Penny Shakespeare, First Assistant Secretary, Technology Assessment and Access Division, Department of Health, Committee Hansard, 27 November 2017, p. 21.

Chapter 2 - Key issues

[1]        David Quilty, Executive Director, Pharmacy Guild of Australia, Committee Hansard, 27 November 2017, p. 2.

[2]        Grattan Institute, Submission 6, p. 3.

[3]        Rhodes Management, Submission 8, pp. 2, 4–5 and 7–11.

[4]        Rhodes Management, Submission 8, pp. 2 and 5. Executive Director, Michael Rhodes, argued that, internationally, deregulation in these two areas has not caused the 'sky to fall down': Committee Hansard, 27 November 2017, p. 19.

[5]        Grattan Institute, Submission 6, pp. 3 and 5.

[6]        Dr Shane Jackson, National President, Pharmaceutical Society of Australia, Committee Hansard, 27 November 2017, p. 7.

[7]        Grattan Institute, Submission 6, p. 5.

[8]        Australian Medical Association, Submission 2, p. 1. Co-location of these services is currently not permitted under the Pharmacy Rules.

[9]        David Quilty, Executive Director, Pharmacy Guild of Australia, Committee Hansard, 27 November 2017, p. 6. Mr Quilty also discussed the policy and objectives of the Pharmacy Rules, including in an historical context: p. 8.

[10]      King, S., Watson, J. and Scott, W., Review of Pharmacy Remuneration and Regulation, Interim Report, Prepared for the Department of Health, June 2017, p. 6.

[11]      National Commission of Audit, Towards Responsible Government, 2014, Recommendation 19, http://www.ncoa.gov.au/report/index.html (accessed 15 February 2018).

[12]      Harper, I., Anderson, P., McCluskey, S. and O'Bryan, M., Competition Policy Review, March 2015, Recommendation 14, http://competitionpolicyreview.gov.au/final-report/ (accessed 15 February 2018).

[13]      Productivity Commission, Shifting the Dial, 5 Year Productivity Review, Inquiry Report No. 84, 3 August 2017, https://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/completed/productivity-review/report/productivity-review.pdf (accessed 15 February 2018).

[14]      Department of Health, Submission 7, p. 9. Also see: Michael Meaney, Submission 9, p. 1; David Quilty, Executive Director, Pharmacy Guild of Australia, Committee Hansard, 27 November 2017, p. 2, which supported these objectives.

[15]      Department of Health, Submission 7, p. 6.

[16]      Department of Health, Answer to Question on Notice, received 7 December 2017.

[17]      Grattan Institute, Submission 6, p. 7.

[18]      Grattan Institute, Submission 6, pp. 7–8.

[19]      Rhodes Management, Submission 8, p. 3.

[20]      Pharmacy Guild of Australia, Submission 4, p. 1.

[21]      For further information on the Community Services Obligation, see: Department of Health, 'Community Service Obligation for Pharmaceutical Wholesalers', http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/community-service-obligation-funding-pool (accessed 15 February 2018).

[22]      Pharmacy Guild of Australia, Submission 4, pp. 5–7. Also see: David Quilty, Executive Director, Pharmacy Guild of Australia, Committee Hansard, 27 November 2017, p. 11.

[23]      Pharmacy Guild of Australia, Submission 4, p. 2. Also see: Grattan Institute, Submission 6, p. 6, which argued that allowing community pharmacies to provide a broader range of health services could contribute to remuneration, as well as engender a more collaborative approach to healthcare.

[24]      David Quilty, Executive Director, Pharmacy Guild of Australia, Committee Hansard, 27 November 2017, p. 9.

[25]      Pharmacy Guild of Australia, Submission 4, p. 2.

[26]      Pharmacy Guild of Australia, Submission 4, p. 1.

For further information on the Paid Parental Leave scheme, see: Department of Human Services, 'Paid Parental Leave scheme for employers', https://www.humanservices.gov.au/organisations/business/services/centrelink/paid-parental-leave-scheme-employers (accessed 15 February 2018).

[27]      For further information on medicines recalls, see: Department of Health, Therapeutic Goods Administration, 'Recalls', https://www.tga.gov.au/recalls and 'Uniform recall procedure for therapeutic goods (URPTG)', https://www.tga.gov.au/publication/uniform-recall-procedure-therapeutic-goods-urptg-v20 (both accessed 15 February 2018).

[28]      David Quilty, Executive Director, Pharmacy Guild of Australia, Committee Hansard, 27 November 2017, p. 9. Also see: William Kelly, Chair, Pharmacy Board of Australia, Committee Hansard, 27 November 2017, p. 10, who argued that in relation to PBS listed medicines recalls, community pharmacies have a higher degree of responsibility than other retail venues due to their professional obligations.

[29]      For further information on the PBS Safety Net, see: Department of Human Services, 'Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) Safety Net', https://www.humanservices.gov.au/individuals/services/medicare/pharmaceutical-benefits-scheme-pbs-safety-net (accessed 15 February 2018).

[30]      Pharmaceutical Society of Australia, Submission 3, p. 3.          

[31]      Rhodes Management, Submission 8, p. 6. Also see: Michael Rhodes, Executive Director, Rhodes Management, Committee Hansard, 27 November 2017, p. 15, who argued that this would represent massive savings for the Australian Government and taxpayers.

[32]      Rhodes Management, Submission 8, p. 11.

[33]      Michael Rhodes, Executive Director, Rhodes Management, Committee Hansard, 27 November 2018, p. 13.

[34]      Michael Rhodes, Executive Director, Rhodes Management, Committee Hansard, 27 November 2018, p. 18. His evidence added that the Australian Government could facilitate consignment stock arrangements.

[35]      Michael Meaney, Submission 9, pp. 1–2.

[36]      Penny Shakespeare, First Assistant Secretary, Technology Assessment and Access Division, Department of Health, Committee Hansard, 27 November 2017, pp. 21 and 23.

[37]      Penny Shakespeare, First Assistant Secretary, Technology Assessment and Access Division, Department of Health, Committee Hansard, 27 November 2017, p. 23.

[38]      Penny Shakespeare, First Assistant Secretary, Technology Assessment and Access Division, Department of Health, Committee Hansard, 27 November 2017, p. 24.

[39]      Pharmaceutical Society of Australia, Submission 3, p. 6. The submission noted that electronic prescription systems have been successfully implemented overseas (for example, Norway, Sweden, Canada and Finland). Also see: Australian Medical Association, Submission 2, p. 1, which supported high quality primary healthcare services.

[40]      Pharmaceutical Society of Australia, Submission 3, p. 4.          

[41]      Dr Shane Jackson, National President, Pharmaceutical Society of Australia, Committee Hansard, 27 November 2017, p. 3.

[42]      Pharmaceutical Society of Australia, Submission 3, p. 4.

[43]      Dr Shane Jackson, National President, Pharmaceutical Society of Australia, Committee Hansard, 27 November 2017, p. 3.

[44]      Rhodes Management, Submission 8, p. 2.

[45]      Michael Rhodes, Executive Director, Rhodes Management, Committee Hansard, 27 November 2018, p. 17. More conceptual detail was provided: pp. 13–15 and 17-18.

[46]      Rhodes Management, Submission 8, pp. 13 and 17.

[47]      Penny Shakespeare, First Assistant Secretary, Technology Assessment and Access Division, Department of Health, Committee Hansard, 27 November 2017, p. 23.

[48]      Penny Shakespeare, First Assistant Secretary, Technology Assessment and Access Division, Department of Health, Committee Hansard, 27 November 2017, p. 24.

[49]      Australian Medical Association, Submission 2, p. 2. Also see: Rhodes Management, Submission 8, pp. 2 and 12.

[50]      Grattan Institute, Submission 6, pp. 3 and 5. The submission indicated that the competition in the pharmacy is not regulated in line with other sectors.

[51]      David Quilty, Executive Director, Pharmacy Guild of Australia, Committee Hansard, 27 November 2017, p. 4. Mr Quilty also expressed the view that there is a need for differentiation in community pharmacies in terms of price and services, particularly for consumers with high needs: pp. 8–9.

[52]      William Kelly, Chair, Pharmacy Board of Australia, Committee Hansard, 27 November 2017, p. 2.

[53]      Pharmacy Board of Australia, Submission 5, p. 2. Also see: William Kelly, Chair, Pharmacy Board of Australia, Committee Hansard, 27 November 2017, p. 2, who provided examples of regulatory variation.

[54]      Pharmaceutical Society of Australia, Submission 3, p. 5.

[55]      William Kelly, Chair, Pharmacy Board of Australia, Committee Hansard, 27 November 2017, p. 5.

[56]      King, S., Watson, J. and Scott, W., Review of Pharmacy Remuneration and Regulation, Interim Report, Prepared for the Department of Health, June 2017, p. 6.