South Australians will soon have round-the-clock access to medicines and health advice with three community pharmacies to extend their operating hours to 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The three 24/7 pharmacies were selected through a competitive tender process and are located in northern, southern, and central Adelaide to provide the broadest access.
The pharmacies are Chemist Warehouse at the Saints Shopping Centre in Salisbury Plain (North), Chemist Warehouse in Clovelly Park (South) and National Pharmacies in Norwood (Central).
Delivering on a key election commitment, the Malinauskas Labor Government will support the pharmacies to extend their operating hours around the clock, every day of the year.
The Government is investing $2.5 million a year to fund this important initiative.
The 24/7 pharmacies will help to reduce avoidable presentations to busy hospital emergency departments by providing access to medicines, health advice and pharmacy services around the clock.
Currently, emergency departments are the only walk-in health services open around the clock.
National Pharmacies at Norwood is expected to be operating on a 24/7 basis from February 2024 with the two Chemist Warehouse pharmacies following soon after, in early March.
A pharmacist will be on staff 24 hours a day at each of the three pharmacies to provide expert advice and professional pharmacy services, including dispensing prescription medicines.
The three pharmacies will also have security plans including on-site security guards overnight.
For more information, go to www.sahealth.sa.gov.au/communitypharmacy
The Malinauskas Government is also working with pharmacies to:
- provide antibiotic treatment to women aged 18-65 with uncomplicated UTIs from March next year
- help women to resupply the contraceptive pill from May next year
- provide mental health first aid training to pharmacists
- expand access to palliative care medicine
- expand the vaccinations that pharmacists can provide
- conduct medication review for people leaving hospital with complex health needs
Quotes
Attributable to Peter Malinauskas
As anyone with young children knows, having access to a pharmacy around the clock is going to be game-changer for South Australians families.
People get sick at any time of day and having prompt access to medication and trusted health advice is vital.
This initiative delivers on an important election commitment that we made to provide more flexibility and peace of mind for when people get sick and need medicine and care.
Attributable to Chris Picton
Lack of access to pharmacies after hours is a concern that is raised by many families, and often leaves people with nowhere else to turn but emergency departments.
This is not only inconvenient for them, but places extra strain on our busy emergency departments.
Introducing 24-hour pharmacies to South Australia will provide important access to the care families need, when they need it, while also helping to further reduce pressure on our busy hospitals.
Attributable to SA Health Chief Pharmacist Naomi Burgess
The three 24/7 pharmacies have been selected in northern, southern, and central Adelaide to ensure as many people as possible can access these services after hours.
Extended-hours community pharmacy services will offer consumers and families increased access to care and the option to attend a pharmacy rather than a hospital emergency department when they need urgent access to medicines and pharmacist advice.
This initiative complements the range of other recent South Australian government community pharmacy commitments which recognise the expertise and the key role of our pharmacists, supporting them to provide the community with the best possible health services.
Attributable to Chemist Warehouse State Manager, Philip Colsante
Chemist Warehouse is excited to be working with the South Australian State Government to provide around the clock pharmacy services to more residents living both north and south of the Adelaide city centre.
As the House of Wellness, we are committed to ensuring accessible and cost-effective wellness solutions and look forward to offering customers at our Clovelly Park and Saints Road Salisbury stores with our full range of pharmacy services and products, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Attributable to National Pharmacies CEO, Vito Borello
National Pharmacies is delighted to be expanding its role as a community pharmacy by opening its Norwood store 24/7 from early next year.
We congratulate the State Government for supporting South Australians to access prescription medications and specialist advice when they need it, day or night.
