Pharmacies presented proposals to reduce unnecessary visits to emergency departments

The National Pharmaceutical Association (NPA) proposes, as part of the State Budget (GB) for 2024, to create a program of pharmaceutical intervention in mild clinical situations to reduce unnecessary attendance in emergency cases.

“Our [seis] The proposals essentially aim to consolidate the contribution of community pharmacies to meeting the needs of the population and, on the other hand, to contribute to the sustainability of the National Health Service. [SNS]”, ANF President Ema Paulino told Lusa this Friday.

Ema Paulino explained that the measures proposed to political parties with seats in parliament are aimed at “consolidating the contribution of pharmacies as a gateway to social networks.”

“The goal here is to help people come to the pharmacy with minor symptoms, and the pharmacy can check (…) and understand whether this situation can be treated directly in the pharmacy (…) with medication,” emphasized He.

For the leader, this measure will serve to “reduce pressure” on Social Networks.

The ANF is also proposing to integrate community pharmacies into the national strategy for screening tests for TRAG, HIV and hepatitis, as well as additional diagnostics and therapeutics, on the same terms as NHS agencies and other government-agreed providers.

“Today, pharmacies can provide tests, but they are not integrated into a national network that provides this type of service to the public for free, and therefore the challenge here is for pharmacies to be able to integrate this national network of places where people can go and get free access to these tests,” emphasized Ema Paulino.

The association also recalls that a professional resumption service in community pharmacies must be contracted with the SNS to enable effective monitoring of people living with the disease and the optimization of established therapy.

“We are now already at the first stage of the implementation of this project, in which a person takes medication for a chronic pathology, undergoes a medical examination every 12 months and during this time can resume therapy at the pharmacy. (…) We intended (…) to ensure that the person was accompanied during this period of time,” he noted.

In addition to three other measures related to the drug cycle, FAN intends to revise the law to correct imbalances caused by the practice of discounting drug prices to the public, taking into account the implications for network sustainability and public health.

The incentive regime for dispensing generic medicines in community pharmacies needs to be updated, promoting an increase in the share of these medicines, as well as introducing mechanisms for equity and territorial cohesion through the identification of economic incentives, as well as tax and financial incentives. for pharmacies in rural areas or in deserted areas they offer.

FAN has already had the opportunity to present its proposals to the parliamentary groups of the PS, SDP, Chega and PKP, which turned out to be “very sensitive”.