Since January 1, Victorians have no longer had access to any 24-hour pharmacies as cuts to government funding shrink the opening hours at local chemists.
This woman was disorganised but shit happens. You want an option if something crops up that you didn’t foresee. Also a lot of the Supercare places weren’t 24hr so there wasn’t really a chance to record the demand for that.
Maybe it’s not considered worth funding by the government but… above all I really don’t like moves to reduce access to any type of healthcare. Especially when it’s being talked about in terms of funding. The healthcare system has already been so eroded by budget cuts and lack of investment. GPs and hospitals are slammed.
Also yeah, work hours very much can conflict with seeing a GP.
This one is going to be pure numbers.
- How much has the government been paying to subsidise pharmacies so they stay open overnight?
- How many people visit pharmacies between midnight and 7am?
Then, we ask the question: is No. 2 worth the cost of No 1?
The government thinks not.
But where’s all the money going? 30% worse debt-to-GSP ratio than NSW, and nothing to show for it (besides highest-paid premier in the country).
I’m waaaaaaay out of date with Victorian politics. When I left Melbourne, Dan was still pretty new to the job. I have no idea what the budget is doing.
But katie waited hours after getting a scrip to try and fill it it on nye! She had to go to an alternate service! Won’t someone think of katie???
All the questions the reporters in this article should have asked but apparently didn’t. Shit journalism IMHO.
No 24 hour pharmacies at all? That sucks… I’ve needed to use them a few times when I’ve been desperate for things before. But I suppose the major thing people would be buying from them would be Panadol or Nurofen, and I guess worst case you can probably buy those things from a servo or even get them uber eats’d if you can’t get to one, as pricey as it would be
