PHARMACIES across Victoria are now able to give flu and whooping cough vaccinations. Laws in Victoria changed earlier this year allowing pharmacies to give vaccination shots to people over 18 years of age.
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The law was changed in June. Queensland and New South Wales passed the law two years ago and the change has been well received.
The vaccinations are delivered by specially trained pharmacists.
Pharmacy Guild Australia Victorian branch member and Horsham pharmacist Stuart Hall said it would give a larger amount of the population a chance to receive the vaccinations.
“Usually in Victoria we do clinics in bulk on several days of the year through a nurse,” he said.
“Priceline and Chemart in Horsham both have trained pharmacists with the vaccinations available now.”
The owner of the Amcal Pharmacy in Stawell Brian Hancock said his pharmacists were yet to start the training.
“We will not participate in this right now. We don’t want to take the work off of the Stawell doctors and give ourselves extra workload,” he said.
“There are extra costs as well like having to have a separate room with running water, which we do not have, but it is an option for the future.”
No doctors script is required to receive the vaccinations for people under 60 years of age.
“It is now more accessible for the general public,” Mr Hall said.
The price of the vaccinations is dependent on the patient but Mr Hall said it would be reasonably affordable for everyone.
The pharmacies will not be able to provide vaccinations free of charge for patients over the age of 60.
Mr Hall said he was pleased at the uptake by pharmacists in the Wimmera.
“It’s been great. All of the pharmacists at Priceline and Chemart put their hands up to do the training, which displayed great attitude,” Mr Hall said.
“This expands the range of services we can give to our customers and hopefully increase the percentage of the population that take these vaccinations.”
