Trained community pharmacists will from March next year be able to diagnose and dispense a one-off course of antibiotics to women aged 18 to 65 to treat an uncomplicated UTI, if they meet certain clinical criteria.
If the women present with recurrent UTI infections, additional symptoms or are at risk of further complications, they will be referred to a GP for further assessment.
From May 2024, women will also be able to get a resupply of their oral contraceptive pill from a pharmacist without a prescription.
All community pharmacies in South Australia will be able to take part in additional training to offer these new medicines over the counter.
The new measures are a boost to women’s healthcare, allowing patients access to faster care while helping to ease pressure on the state’s hospital emergency departments and wait times to see a GP.
SA Health Chief Pharmacist Naomi Burgess said the new services provided women with an additional avenue for health advice and prompt treatment.
“Supporting women to access effective treatment for uncomplicated UTIs through early access to pharmacist advice and assessment aims to reduce the impact of these painful conditions which can impact a person’s ability to work, study and take part in everyday activities,” Ms Burgess said.
“These new services will better utilise the professional skills of pharmacists, enhancing community access to assessment and to treatments under agreed guidelines which until now have only been available with a prescription.”
Pharmaceutical Society of Australia SA/NT Branch President Dr Manya Angley said pharmacists were the "key to strengthening the health care system".
"Regional and rural communities across South Australia will benefit enormously from being able to access treatment from their local pharmacist, freeing up our hardworking rural GPs for more complex patient needs," she said.
UTIs are very common and can be extremely painful, affecting up to 50 per cent of South Australian women and resulting in nearly 9000 hospital emergency department presentations each year.
