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Deborah Hawthorne talks about the new role of the embedded aged care pharmacist

In this podcast, our host, Carlene McMaugh, speaks to award-winning consultant pharmacist Deborah Hawthorne, about the beginning of the embedded aged care pharmacy role.

Saying she’s “excited about the role”, Hawthorne says there will be “lots of confusion and lots of need for support” during the transition period while the role is in its infancy. 

She does welcome the enthusiasm she sees in the profession to undertake aged care pharmacy roles, but says there will be a need for lots of support and education for what she sees as a “wave of fresh faces” joining the accredited pharmacy community.

Among the topics covered are: 

• The implications of the most recent government announcements about how these roles will be funded
• The need for training and mentorship arrangements, and support systems to ensure the success of the role
• Will there be enough trained pharmacists willing to undertake the role? 
• The need for flexibility around whether these placements are arranged through a single provider or through a community pharmacy
• Will all community pharmacies have capacity to allow a staff member to be engaged in an aged care facility for one day per week? Will this possibly inhibit take up from pharmacies?   
• The lack of consultation with pharmacy by government and bureaucracy  

Go here to listen to Deborah’s thoughts on expanding and strengthening the GP pharmacist role. We also recently profiled Deborah, and this will appear in the October print edition of AJP, and subsequently in our digital offerings.  

Go here for the full list of active AJP podcasts. These can also be accessed via Apple Podcasts and Spotify