Emma Pritchard

Last week, the Clarence Valley Independent spoke to a number of customers and asked them how they felt about the Federal Government’s proposed changes to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), how it may potentially affect them, and if they think it’s a good idea.

Natalie Whalen: It’s such a poorly laid out proposal. It has the potential to place the future of country pharmacies at severe risk of either losing staff or reducing their opening hours as ways of compensating for lost revenue through dispensing fees. This is not what country pharmacies want or need. I think it’s a really frightening prospect, and I hope these changes don’t go ahead.

Carissa Wright: It’s a great idea, and a bad idea. I can see the benefits for people who may not have the chance to get to their local pharmacy very often, so they can get their medications in bulk, but that will severely affect remaining stock and limit availability for other customers. This could be disastrous. I think the Federal Government need to rethink this proposal because it won’t provide adequate services for all customers.

Joan Ewerhardt: I hope the proposal doesn’t go ahead because I can’t see it having any benefits at all. It will effectively allow some people to have too many medications while others will miss out when pharmacies run out of stock. It will also put more pressure on local pharmacies and their staff, and they may be forced to let staff go or decrease their trading hours to cut costs if they don’t have enough medications to cater for all their customers. This will also limit customer access to their local pharmacies. This proposal is nothing more than another nail in the coffin for regional health.

Barry Williamson: It’s a tip top idea. As an elderly pensioner, I welcome anything which assists me in bulk buying and limiting the number of times I have to go shopping. I fully support this proposal.

Elva Ward: Personally, I would welcome these changes. I always buy in bulk, so this proposal makes a lot of sense to me. If other people don’t like it, they will just have to learn to get used to it.