Community Pharmacy: Serving A Need

Community pharmacy: serving a need

As many as 10 million Australians turned to their local pharmacist for information about medicines or the treatment of a minor illness in the past year.

Pharmacists represent a very popular source of medical information, second only to GPs. While 85 per cent of Australians sought information about medicines or the treatment of a minor illness from a doctor in the past year, the corresponding figure for pharmacists is 62 per cent. Other popular sources of information are family members or friends (46 per cent), the internet (33 per cent) and medical books (16 per cent).

The internet is an especially popular source among younger Australians, with almost half of those aged 18-34 years seeking medical information online in the past year. These are some of the results of fresh public opinion research conducted by Galaxy Research.

Questions about community pharmacy, medicines and minor illnesses were put to 1052 respondents aged 18 years and older, distributed throughout Australia. The telephone survey was conducted on the weekend of 4-6 December.

Galaxy Research found that 76 per cent of the population believe pharmacies provide excellent advice about medicines and ways to treat minor illnesses.

Other acknowledged benefits include being convenient and available (87 per cent) and offering free advice (81 per cent).

The absence of a community pharmacy in a local area would put greater strain on the health system because the overwhelming majority of people would seek advice from their doctor if there was no pharmacist to consult. Overall, 88 per cent would seek advice from their doctor about medicines or minor illnesses if the pharmacist was not available, adding even more pressure to doctors' crowded waiting rooms.

The research also confirmed that the absence of a local community pharmacy would hit older Australians particularly hard. Younger people generally have access to a wider range of alternative sources of information. This can include other family members, such as their mum, and the internet.

However, these sources of information are not always available to those over 50 years old, and hence they would be much more reliant on their GP.

"This research confirms the high value that Australians place on their local community pharmacy for advice about medicines and on the treatment of minor illnesses," National President of the Pharmacy Guild of Australia, Kos Sclavos, said.

"We thank the Australian public for the confidence they show in Australia's unique community pharmacy model, where they know a pharmacist is always available to give them reliable advice on medicines and health.

"Community pharmacies are a great and valued national health asset, and they deserve to be supported and sustained they're an important part of what continues to make Australia's health system the envy of the Western world," Mr Sclavos said.

Following the completion of the telephone polling by Galaxy Research, the data was weighted by age, gender and region to reflect the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics population estimates.

Further information:
Greg Turnbull
0412 910 261.

Galaxy Research questions and aggregate findings
(1052 people, December 4-6 2009)

Q1. Thinking now about health care. From which of these have you sought information about medicines or the treatment of a minor illness in the past 12 months?

A doctor - 85%
A pharmacist - 62%
Your mum - 23%
Another family member or friend - 38%
The internet - 33%
A medical book - 16%
None/ Don't know - 6%

Q2. Which of these do you consider benefits of the pharmacists in your area?

They provide excellent advice about medicines and ways to treat minor illnesses - 76%
No need to wait or make an appointment - 74%
Free advice - 81%
Convenient and available - 88%
They're open when the doctor's surgery is closed - 63%
None/ Don't know - 4%

Q3. If you were not able to seek advice from a pharmacist about medicines or the treatment of a minor illness, which of these would you be likely to consult?

A doctor - 88%
Your mum - 25%
Another family member or friend - 44%
The internet - 39%
A medical book - 25%
None/ Don't know - 1%


National Secretariat
Level 2,
15 National Circuit,
Barton, ACT 2600
Australia

PO Box 7036,
Canberra Business Centre,
ACT 2610
Australia

Telephone: + 61 2 6270 1888
Facsimile: + 61 2 6270 1800
Email: [email protected]
Internet: www.guild.org.au

SOURCE: The Pharmacy Guild of Australia