Australian Pharmacist article examines importance of patient consent

In the August issue of Australian Pharmacist, legal columnist Laetitia Hattingh, from Curtin University, examined the importance of obtaining legally valid consent from patients.

Hattingh writes that pharmacists must confirm consent is obtained before undertaking activities such as medication reviews, carrying out any diagnostic or assessment procedures, bone density screening, blood sugar and cholesterol monitoring and administering vaccinations.

“All adults of sound mind have the legal authority to either consent or refuse treatment or healthcare intervention,” Hattingh said. “The principle of patient autonomy is embedded in the Pharmacy Board of Australia Code of Conduct for Pharmacists.”

Also in the August issue of Australian Pharmacist, the cover story discussed the roles non-dispensing pharmacist are able to undertake in collaboration with general practitioners and allied health practitioners.

“In the surgeries I do a lot of gap filling,” NSW Pharmacist Alice Nugent said. “If there’s no diabetes educator there, then I might pick up some of the extra diabetes education work, and if there is no asthma educator there, I lug around my bag with all my different puffers and things and adopt an asthma educator role.”