The Minister for Health and Aged Care the Hon Mark Butler MP, announced earlier today that the Australian Government and the Pharmacy Guild of Australia have signed the 8th Community Pharmacy Agreement (8CPA).
New pharmacy agreement delivers cheaper medicines | Health Portfolio Ministers | Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care.
The 8CPA will commence on 1 July 2024 and will deliver $26.5 billion in funding to community pharmacies over five years. This includes $1.05 billion in funding for the following Community Pharmacy Programs:
- Dose Administration Aids
- Indigenous Dose Administration Aids
- MedsCheck
- Diabetes MedsCheck
- Staged Supply; and
- The Regional Pharmacy Maintenance Allowance Programs.
The 8CPA includes an additional $196.7 million to increase the number of patients who can receive funded Dose Administration Aid services. The DAA program will be updated from 1 July 2024, to increase the base cap from 60 Services to 90 Services per week per pharmacy.
The Pharmacy Programs operating during the Seventh Community Pharmacy Agreement, which are not listed above as Community Pharmacy Programs under the 8CPA, will continue until 30 June 2025. The long-term arrangements of these remaining pharmacy programs will be considered by Government in consultation with stakeholders, including consumer groups and health professional groups over the coming months.
The PPA is a division of Australian Healthcare Associates (AHA) and will remain the Pharmacy Programs Administrator.
Any changes to the Program rules, will be published on the PPA website and communicated to registered service providers ahead of the 8CPA’s 1 July 2024 commencement date.
A full copy of the 8CPA is available to view on the Department’s website.