Scott Lynda: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Scott Lynda: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:609;Page:6687] 
10.  
Dr LYNDA SCOTT (NZ National—Kaikoura) 
 to the  
Minister of Health 
: What analysis has the Government undertaken into the impact on the pharmacy workforce of a return to stat dispensing? 
Hon ANNETTE KING (Minister of Health) 
: 
 Pharmac has been reviewing the 2500 submissions received regarding the proposal. Included amongst the submissions were a number that raised workforce issues. Pharmac is considering these submissions at present and has investigated many of the concerns including costs associated with maintaining the current geographical spread of pharmacies. To date no decisions have been made in relation to this proposal. 
Dr Lynda Scott 
: Is she aware that in the Nelson area alone pharmacists estimate that five pharmacies are likely to close 10 pharmacists’ jobs may go or be reduced in hours nine dispensing staff may lose their jobs and 15 shop staff may lose their jobs or have reduced hours and what does the Minister have to say to the people who face job losses if Pharmac’s dispensing proposal goes ahead? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: I intend to wait until Pharmac has considered all the submissions because part of its consideration is the provision of pharmacy services around New Zealand and I know that Pharmac is taking account of that. 
Nanaia Mahuta 
: Is she concerned that young pharmacists will leave the country if stat dispensing is introduced? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: Recent evidence from the Pharmaceutical Society’s survey found that over half of the New Zealand – trained pharmacists living overseas plan to return. Most live in the United Kingdom where stat dispensing is the norm. They are paid 93 pence per item minus 11 percent mark-up. New Zealand compares very favourably. We pay $5.16 plus a 4 percent mark-up. Members can see why they want to return to New Zealand. 
Pita Paraone 
: Does she think that a stat-dispensing regime would undermine the primary health-care strategy by compromising close control of patients; if not why not? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: No I do not think that stat dispensing would necessarily undermine the primary health-care strategy. Certainly it would depend on how pharmacists work with primary health organisations and the primary health-care strategy. There is an opportunity in the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Bill to ensure that primary health organisations can have a far greater role in the provision of pharmacy services. 
Sue Kedgley 
: If as predicted hundreds of pharmacies around New Zealand close down do I take it from the Minister’s previous answer that she is suggesting that one solution would be to use her powers under the forthcoming Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Bill to open up pharmacies in other areas around primary health organisations and supermarkets etc. in New Zealand? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: No I am saying that there is the opportunity for pharmacists to work in the primary health-care strategy and in primary health organisations. That was what the member asked me about and that was what I was talking about. However I would say to the member that it was only at the end of last year—and some members may have forgotten—that headlines in  
Pharmacy Today 
 stated that pharmacists were overworked because of the number of prescriptions they had to dispense. It may be that with a stat-dispensing approach the number of prescriptions that pharmacists are required to dispense would be reduced and therefore some of their workload would be relieved. 
Judy Turner 
: In view of the concerns expressed by the pharmacy sector about Pharmac’s proposal on stat dispensing will the Minister consider convening a meeting between Pharmac district health boards and the pharmacy sector to address the threat that that proposal has on the viability of pharmacies and community access to pharmacy services particularly in provincial and rural areas? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: A very good suggestion was put forward by the leader of United Future that the parties involved—the Pharmacy Guild the Pharmaceutical Society Pharmac and others—discuss the provision of pharmacy services. I am very happy for such a meeting to take place. However it needs to be around the role and provision of pharmacy services because in our changing environment we need to look at how we do provide those services. 
Dr Lynda Scott 
: Is the Minister aware that in a survey of members of the Pharmacy Guild in March it was conservatively estimated that 2000 jobs would be lost in the sector if the Pharmac proposal went ahead; and if pharmacies are going to close and staff lose their jobs why is this not an issue that the Minister of Health should take some responsibility for rather than simply passing the buck? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: I have to say that I have taken my lead in this respect from when we changed from stat dispensing to monthly dispensing. It happened in 1996 and the then Minister of Health Mrs Shipley in conjunction with Mr Williamson decided that that issue was to be decided by Pharmac. Its job was to manage the pharmaceutical schedule. I have taken my lead from that and I am watching very carefully as to what is happening and ensuring that there is the provision of pharmaceutical services not in terms of the management of the schedule.