The Pharmacy Guild of Australia, Queensland, and Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) have received a strong response and numerous registrations for the first Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) trial, after inviting Quality Care Pharmacy Program (QCPP) pharmacies to express their interest in participating late last week. The pilot supports trained community pharmacists to provide appropriate treatment to women with uncomplicated urinary tract infections. The two-year trial will commence once more than 50% of eligible Queensland pharmacies have the capacity to deliver the service.
The Pharmacy Guild of Australia, Queensland, Branch President Professor Trent Twomey said the trial follows the recommendations from the 2018 Parliamentary Inquiry into the establishment of a pharmacy council and transfer of pharmacy ownership in Queensland.
“In 2018 there were more than 20,000 potentially preventable hospitalisations in Queensland due to urinary tract infections and kidney infections1.”
“One in two women will experience a urinary tract infection in their lifetime2 and nearly one in three women will have a urinary tract infection needing treatment before the age of 243. If left untreated, a urinary tract infection can become a kidney infection, so it’s important to seek treatment as early as possible.”
“This trial will help to support Queensland women by providing convenient, appropriate, safe and effective treatment for uncomplicated urinary tract infections,” Professor Twomey said.
PSA Queensland Branch President Chris Campbell said the quality and skill of pharmacists in QLD has been clearly demonstrated and supported by the Department of Health with this pilot.
“We know QLD pharmacists are some of the best trained and accessible health care professionals in the world, and this brings access to Queenslanders a service already successful in other countries,” he said.
“We have seen the Queensland Government continually realise the value pharmacists deliver in primary care and although we have seen improved access to care from community pharmacy since the parliamentary inquiry and the pressure in the system from COVID19, this is just the beginning.”
Professor Twomey said that community pharmacy is well placed to reduce unnecessary hospitalisations and strain on Government resources due to uncomplicated urinary tract infections, particularly in a time when the coronavirus pandemic is impacting many GP and hospital resources.
“Community pharmacists are highly trained health professionals, who complete five years of higher education as well as continuing professional education. This trial will require appropriately qualified pharmacists to complete additional training to ensure safe and accurate screening, diagnosis and treatment, which may include antibiotics.”
Urinary Tract Infection Pharmacy Pilot – Queensland (UTIPP-Q): The Facts
- Following on from Recommendation Two in the 2018 Parliamentary Inquiry into Community Pharmacy, the Queensland Department of Health opened a tender for providers to develop and implement a trial that will allow trained community pharmacists to provide appropriate treatment for uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTIs).
- The Pharmacy Guild of Australia, Queensland and the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia is part of a consortium led by QUT which was successful in winning the tender for the trial. The trial framework, clinical protocol, ethics and software platforms have been developed. Once more than 550 QLD pharmacies across the state are able to provide the pilot service, a pilot start date will be agreed, and the pilot will be launched.
- The trial will be open to women, aged 18-65 who are deemed to have an uncomplicated urinary tract infection. Men will not be eligible to be treated as part of the trial as symptoms are not reflective of an uncomplicated urinary tract infection. The trial will run for two years, from the agreed start date of the pilot (yet to be confirmed).
- The trial is open to all Queensland pharmacies that are accredited through the Quality Care Pharmacy Program (QCPP).
- Participating pharmacists will be required to undergo additional mandatory training to assess, diagnose and offer appropriate treatment to patients as part of the trial. The approved online CPD training is available through both the Guild and PSA Learning and Development platform.
- Treatment options may include a prescription for antibiotics to treat uncomplicated urinary tract infections (if appropriate). If, through the screening process, the patient is deemed to not have an uncomplicated urinary tract infection, their treatment options may include a referral to a GP for further investigation as covered in the PSA Guidance for provision of antibiotics for acute uncomplicated cystitis in females (the practice standard)
- There is a precedence for pharmacist prescribing regarding treatment of uncomplicated urinary tract infections in other OECD countries, including NZ and UK.
- Community pharmacy is easily accessible. In capital cities, 97% of consumers are no further than 2.5 km from a pharmacy. In regional areas, 65% of people are within 2.5 km of a pharmacy.
- Community pharmacies are the most frequently accessed and most accessible health destination, with over 456 million individual patient visits annually and the vast majority of pharmacies open after-hours, including weekends.
- Pharmacists are one of the most trusted professions. Public opinion surveys have shown that 84% of adults trust the advice they receive from pharmacists.
- Community pharmacists are accessible and understand this target demographic. At 30 September 2019, there were 32,035 registered pharmacists in Australia. 62.8% of pharmacists are women; and over 60% are under 40 years of age.
References
- AIHW data, Potentially preventable hospitalisations, 2017-18, Queensland. Available at: https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/primary-health-care/potentially-preventable-hospitalisations/data
- Kidney Health Australia Fact Sheet: https://kidney.org.au/cms_uploads/docs/urinary-tract-infections-fact-sheet.pdf
- Ibid.
