Those using the Pharmacy Guild of Australia’s system will be reimbursed nightly,but pharmacists using the MedAdvisor system will not receive payment until July 10.
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Leichhardt pharmacist Christine Kelly said she had spent $10,000 to order 1000 additional vaccines ahead of an expected increase in demand,for which she would have to wait six weeks to recoup costs.
While she was looking forward to being able to deliver free flu shots,she said the wait for reimbursement would be “quite a hassle” for her small business.
MedAdvisor CEO Rob Read said it needed to use its existing monthly payment schedule to “meet the tight timeframes” of the program. Ninety per cent of its vaccinating pharmacies in NSW have signed up to give free shots.
“Admittedly,it’s been a fast turnaround,and like any policy that’s been quickly implemented it’s going to come with warts,” said David Heffernan,president of the NSW branch of the Pharmacy Guild of Australia,of the free flu shots.
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Heffernan agreed it was always going to be a “patchwork”,with ongoing discussions about how to manage in border areas – Victoria and Queensland are each offering their own reimbursement program – and whether people without Medicare cards are now eligible.
More than 21,000 flu infections were reported in NSW in May,more than the total number of infections reported in the first five months of 2019.
Some of the increase is due to more widespread testing,with COVID-19 PCR tests now also returning results for flu andcommon childhood infection RSV. However,rising hospitalisations for influenza-like illness suggest flu season is in full swing.
The infections and ongoing high levels of COVID-19 transmission – there were more than 300,000 cases in NSW during May – have continued to place strain on Sydney’s emergency departments this week.
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There were 33 children waiting for care in emergency after being assessed by a triage nurse at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead at 5.30pm on Monday. By 10pm,28 children were waiting at Westmead and 24 at Sydney Children’s Hospital at Randwick.
“Like all emergency departments across NSW,Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network has seen a significant spike in people presenting with flu-like symptoms to its emergency departments,” a spokesperson for the children’s hospitals said. “Children are prioritised based on clinical urgency,with the sickest children always seen first. Our staff are making every effort to see all children as quickly as possible.”
Sutherland Hospital,in the city’s south,declared a “code yellow” on Monday,allowing staff from other parts of the hospital to be sent to the emergency department to assist.
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