JUNE,Edition # 28, 2001

Editor's Note:
In our last edition, we ran an article in the Roundup column entitled:
A western intrusion on an old culture which can be viewed by clicking on the link.
In the article a question, answer and statement was made:

"Just as it could be asked… How inventive are pharmacists in approaching the management of medications in remote Aboriginal communities?

Not very inventive should be the answer.

The Guild has a pile of money to establish QUM in these places but who knows how to get it? "

Well, we received a response from Mark Dunn, the pharmacist running the Guild sponsored AuspharmList and associated directories (and doing an excellent job).
Mark is also involved with the National Rural Health Alliance, which we publicise on a regular basis on this page.
We are publishing the initial correspondence, and all exchanges, so that readers can judge for themselves if the above question,answer and statement were adequately addressed:

E-Mail number 1
Dearie me Neil,
Who writes your rural stuff - it's pretty dreadful - and unbalanced to say the least. The most recent issue bags the Guild for not publicising the S100 QUM initiatives for AMSs. My experience is quite the opposite, this is a well promoted program, as are all the other rural initiatives in the third agreement, including the new RPMA, which doubled most recipients rural allowances and the CPE scholarship scheme, which sees most rural and remote pharmacists able to access funding to attend city conferences etc.
If you must run rural and remote issues in your bulletin, at least get someone who knows and understands the issues to write it.
Regards...........Mark

Response number 1
Hi Mark,
Thank you for your comments.
The Roundup column is written by various authors, some being in sensitive positions and do not wish to be identified. I will pass your comments on to the author of the last article.
Regards,
Neil

E-Mail number 2
Hi Neil,
My comments apply to most (all?) the rural columns.
Mark

Response number 2
Hi Mark,
I have now received a response to your comments, and the author asks a question of you.
Your response, and any additional comment you would care to make will be published without editing.
[Author]
"Thanks for your input and I will be pleased to publish in the next edition a statement from you showing the number of pharmacies who have been able to access the allowance described below in the Third Agreement:

'45.1. This will provide an annual allowance to community pharmacists who provide medications to remote area Aboriginal Medical Services via arrangements made under Section 100 of the National Health Act1953.'

This is the section to which I referred. It was not meant to infer any other allowance, as this is the only one seen (by me) as applying to pharmacies supplying "really remote" health services.
Your early response as to pharmacy numbers will be appreciated, so an accurate response can be framed for the next edition, closing for copy on 10th June."

Separately to the above Mark, if you would like to provide material for this particular column to provide some "balance", I would be pleased to publish.
It can be on the same terms as for the other columnists i.e. copy run as received, no editing except for libel and grammar.
It does not need to be on a regular basis and you can run under your own name or remain anonymous
Think about it.
Regards,
Neil

E-Mail number 3
Hi again Neil,
Thanks for the offer but no thanks. I've got a lot on at the moment and, to be brutally frank, your publication lacks credibility IMHO.
Too anti "establishment", who I believe do a rather good job. Cheers...............Mark

Response number 3
Hi Mark,
It is not clear in your recent e-mail whether you are intending to respond to the question asked by the author of the original article you voiced an objection to.
Regards,
Neil

E-Mail number four
Hi again Neil,
No, I won't be )-:
Regards.........Mark

Author's Comment:
"Thanks for nothing Mark Dunn - you criticise but have no response to help get balance.
All we want to know is:
When will the guidelines for accessing the "s100 PBS to remote" QUM money be available?
There are pharmacists doing the work now for no reward.
This is just not satisfactory!!
What is the Guild doing and how much Third Agreement money will continue to be used on administrative purposes when it could be used to pay pharmacists for the work they are doing now?

Editor's Comment:
Well, as you can see from the above correspondence, we did try to elicit an answer to the author's question. We even tried to obtain some information from the Pharmacy Guild's site from the link "New Rural Allowances", but the response from the HIC linked site is "page not found". I trust this is just a technical glitch?
The authors involved in writing Roundup are generally in sensitive positions (as advised), and they are in a position to know the "big picture".
They do know what they are talking about.
In respect of the "anti-establishment" criticism, I will give an explanation of the policy governing this newsletter.
Far from being "anti" any of the official pharmacy organisations, we support each and every one of them.
We also believe they do a good job.
We would also be the first to defend them if they came under an outside threat.
But we do reserve the right to target and criticise any policy or procedure that does not appear to be of benefit to pharmacists.
Organisations such as the Pharmacy Guild, are the nominated negotiators between government and pharmacy. They do not have an absolute mandate, and must be accountable.
For this reason, any decisions made by the Pharmacy Guild will impact on all pharmacists, directly or indirectly, irrespective of whether they own a business, are a member, or are outside of the organisation with little direct influence.
It is the latter type of pharmacist that we give a voice to.
This unique position held by the Guild sometimes creates a heavy footprint in the affairs of some pharmacists e.g. medical centre approval numbers, as noted in Allan Jelleff's article in this edition.
Other times, you see a Guild agency performing its function to a very high standard (such as Guild Insurance, covered in this edition in Roy Stevenson's article. In his next article for July 1st, he is even more articulate in his praise).
It is my belief that "If it ain't broke, then don't fix it".
This means that our reportage is by exception, and we tend to cover only what needs to be fixed.
This ought to be seen as a positive, just as our reportage is "balanced" as evidenced in this very edition of the newsletter.
All the authors contributing to this newsletter believe that they are doing so in the best interests of pharmacy.
The authors also know that they become a target if they are inaccurate or too extreme in their point of view.
They suggest solutions with any criticisms.
A variety of authors are encouraged (most of whom would regard themselves as being part of the establishment in some way), so as not to project a monopoly point of view as editor.
The end result is a unique publication, using the latest technology, which covers every conceivable facet of pharmacy.
Ends

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