Community pharmacy at the heart of delivering high quality women’s health

This initiative, almost 12 months in the making, focuses on improving access to treatment for uncomplicated urinary tract infections and hormonal contraception. Addressing key healthcare challenges faced by women, the program aligns with the Guild’s ongoing commitment to ensuring quality, accessible and affordable healthcare for all Australians.

“As agreed in the Heads of Agreement for the Eighth Community Pharmacy Agreement, the advancement of women’s health is vital to the health of our nation, our daughters, sisters and mothers,” said National President Professor Trent Twomey.

Professor Trent Twomey said, “the initiative is a significant step forward to address longstanding gaps in women’s health services across Australia.”

“Working in partnership, the Australian Government and the Pharmacy Guild, have prioritised women’s health and recognised the vital role that full scope of practice for community pharmacists can play in delivering high quality accessible healthcare.

“Community pharmacies are trusted healthcare hubs, and we stand ready to support the implementation of this initiative to ensure women receive timely and effective care.”

“With over 6,000 community pharmacies across Australia, we are uniquely positioned to provide convenient and high-quality healthcare services to women in urban, regional, and remote areas,” Professor Trent Twomey said. 

Eligible women and girls will be able to receive treatment for an uncomplicated urinary tract infection and will be able to receive initiation and ongoing supply for hormonal contraception from their local community pharmacy.

Women with a concession card will be able to obtain a free private consultation with a highly trained community pharmacist for the treatment of an uncomplicated urinary tract infection and where clinically appropriate be prescribed a short course of antibiotics.

Critically important to the Australian Government’s Women’s Package, women with a concession card will also be able to obtain a free private consultation with a highly trained community pharmacist for the initiation and ongoing supply of hormonal contraception, and have the choice of oral contraception, depots and vaginal rings. 

Over 250,000 concession card holders will benefit from this initiative. Women on concession card will also receive medicines at the usual subsidised price of $7.70 and no cost for those over the Safety Net threshold as all scripts will attract a PBS subsidy.

This announcement builds on positive patient experiences across state and territory programs which enable women to receive treatment at community pharmacy for uncomplicated urinary tract infections and hormonal contraception in Queensland.

Training for this program is already in place from the Australasian College of Pharmacy and the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia and importantly the training from Queensland and Northern Territory, together with their existing clinical protocols and guidelines will be rolled out nationally to ensure harmonisation and consistency. 

The initiative removes the cost burden associated with accessing state and territory community pharmacy services for vulnerable Australian women who hold Australian Government-issued concession cards. It also includes PBS subsidies for any necessary medicines, ensuring that women are not disadvantaged depending on where they get their script from. For the first time this initiative will see pharmacists able to write PBS prescriptions. 

Through this announcement, the Government has recognised community pharmacists as the most accessible frontline health service to help boost women’s health. 

All consultations during the initiative will be paid through the Pharmacy Programs Administrator (PPA). All medications prescribed during the initiative will be paid via PBS Online, meaning less red tape and a quicker commencement. Community Pharmacies stand ready to commence services from 1 July 2025.