Two pharmacies in the Gungahlin region have received an ACT Medicare Local (ACTML) Gungahlin Region Community Pharmacy After Hours Grant to extend their opening hours, increase security and provide additional assistance to clients from 1 December 2013.
ACTML Chair Dr Rashmi Sharma said ACTML is pleased to support Gungahlin Soul Pattinson Chemist and Mitchell Discount Pharmacy to enhance their service availability in the after hours period, commencing in the lead-up to Christmas.
“Our After Hours Health Needs Assessment demonstrated that pharmacy is often the first access point for the community during the after hours period. The grants aim to support and enhance availability of urgent after hours primary health care in Gungahlin,” said Dr Sharma.
Grant recipient Pharmacist Christine Sifri has been a partner in the Gungahlin Soul Pattinson Chemist for 12 years and is passionate about helping the community in which she works and lives.
“I feel a real part of the community as I live here with my family and I’ve seen my clients grow from one phase to the next. I have clients who were just toddlers when they first came in who are now teenagers. This grant has enabled us to extend our hours so we can provide free advice and support when people need it most. It has also allowed us to provide staff training in first aid and children’s heath so we can effectively deal with after hours situations, that would otherwise unnecessarily clog up the hospital emergency department,” said Ms Sifri.
Grant recipient Ms Erin Jones, Operations Manager at Mitchell Discount Pharmacy is eager to have the permanent telephone in their private consultation room set-up so that clients who require extra support can be assisted to access after hours telephone services.
“We’re delighted to be able to service our local community and surrounding area with extended trading in the after hours period. In particular, we are also very pleased to be able to provide a dedicated phone line for our customers to be able to call support such as Lifeline and CATT,” said Ms Jones.
From 1 Dec 2013, opening hours of Gungahlin Soul Pattinson Chemist will extend from 9am-7pm Monday-Thursday to 8.30am-8.30pm and from 9am-8pm Friday to 8.30am-8.30pm. Opening hours of the Mitchell Discount Pharmacy will extend from 8.30am-7pm weekdays to 8.30am-9pm, from 9am-4pm weekends to 9 am-5pm, and will also allow the Pharmacy to open on Public Holidays 9am-5pm.
Early this year, ACTML supported another three pharmacies to enhance their access to after hours primary health care by extending their opening hours, improving safety and security, staff training and local advertising campaigns. In addition, since January 2012 ACTML supported 14 general practices in the ACT to increase access and availability of after hours primary health care.
ACTML is part of a nation-wide network of primary health care organisations supporting health professionals to improve the delivery of local primary health care services.
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