The acting president for the Pharmacy Guild in Victoria, Paul Krassaris, has expressed his disappointment after funding cuts by the Victorian government saw the state left without 24-hour pharmacies.
According to Pharmacy Daily, in 2016, the Victorian Government introduced Supercare Pharmacies to reduce pressure across emergency departments, however, only eight out of 12 are still operating seven days a week.
Since the start of this year, those eight pharmacies have now stopped operating 24 hours a day.
A spokesperson for the Victorian Department of Health told Pharmacy Daily this change has come about due to decreased demand for Supercare Pharmacies in some areas.
In response, Mr Krassaris said the funding cuts by the Victorian government was “disappointing.”
“If the funding wasn’t cut, these pharmacies would continue to remain open,” he said.
“Speaking to a lot of the owners, even if they were breaking even with the funding, they would continue to open up.”
Source: Pharmacy Daily.
