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Find out about a problem that's affecting rural, or country communities.
LOUISE MUNINK: I think your customers come to rely on you more because unlike in Melbourne you might have three or four other pharmacies in that suburb and being the only one you do get to know your patients more. They rely on your opinion more so and in that sense it's a more satisfying job. PROFESSOR COLIN CHAPMAN: There is a shortage right throughout Australia and certainly Victoria and the most severe problem is in rural areas both in community pharmacy and hospital pharmacy. GUY STAYNER: Many people are aware there's a crisis in rural health services. Doctor and dentist surgeries are closing around the State but pharmacies are also struggling to attract professionals to the bush. PROFESSOR COLIN CHAPMAN: A lot of the older pharmacists are trying to leave the country areas and selling up wherever they can and not getting others to move in and take their places. But I think it's also a matter of lifestyle and maybe a lack of opportunity for students to go out there. GUY STAYNER: But Monash University is trying to reverse the trend by creating opportunities. PROFESSOR COLIN CHAPMAN: We have a rural entry scheme so we have a scheme which allows 10 students from rural areas to enter the pharmacy course each year when they wouldn't have normally made the course on their enter score from Year 12. We also have a placement scheme in the third and fourth years of the course. Students have compulsory rural placements where they go out into country towns, to country pharmacies and spend three weeks out there. GUY STAYNER: But while the program has helped inject new blood into some practices, it's not a cure for all of the industry's problems. PROFESSOR COLIN CHAPMAN: If they're a solo pharmacist, a solo practitioner, they must lock up the pharmacy to leave. Which means to do any of the out-of-hours things, if you wish to go and do medication reviews, talks at the high school, that sort of thing, they've either got to do it out of hours or close the pharmacy to go and do it and a lot of them just simply can't afford to close the practice in order to go and do those things. NICK ANAGNOSTOU: You can say it's like the 4-wall effect. You're sort of stuck inside. Apart from legal requirements that you need to go to the toilet, that's about it. You're not really allowed to walk out of the pharmacy. GUY STAYNER: Professor Chapman estimates 30% of pharmacy trade is in off-the-shelf products and he wants legislation changed to permit these transactions without a pharmacist present. He says the stressful work conditions impact on a sole proprietor's ability to sell the business, causing the average pharmacist to spend significantly longer in country practice than the average doctor. Despite the difficulties those who have taken the road less travelled have few regrets. What would you say to other young health professionals contemplating a career in the country? LOUISE MUNINK: I would definitely encourage them. Really the benefits'd far outweigh any problems we've had out here. And just to bite the bullet and go for it because it's very rewarding.
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pharmacies Pharmacies are places where medicines are prepared and sold. Example: I bought the tablets at the pharmacy. Notice that the plural of pharmacy is spelled pharmacies and not pharmac We also call pharmacies chemist shops, or just the chemist's. surgeries A surgery is a place for operations. Notice that the plural of surgery is spelled surgeries and not surger professionals people trained to do certain jobs bush country selling up selling everything Example: We're going to sell up and move to another city. lifestyle way of living lack of opportunity There have not been many chances for students to get jobs in pharmacies in the country. reverse the trend change what has been happening Example: We need to reverse the trend and start making money instead of losing it. placement scheme work experience compulsory rural placements If something is compulsory, you have to do it. The students have to do work experience in the country. inject new blood employ new people with energy and enthusiasm Example: The company needs to inject new blood if it is going to continue to be successful. solo alone; single out-of-hours after normal working hours stuck inside can't go outside; can't leave the pharmacy off-the-shelf products Off-the-shelf products here are medicines you can buy without a prescription
You can take these products straight off the shelf. The opposite of off-the-shelf products are prescription medicines. Prescription medicines are kept behind the counter and can only be bought if you have permission from a doctor. permit allow Follow the link and listen to the different way we pronounce permit when it is used as a noun. more information: permit pharmacist A person who makes and sells medicines is a pharmacist, or a chemist. present there Here present is being used as an adjective. Follow the link and listen to the other way we pronounce present when it's used as a verb. more information: present sole proprietor's sole owner; someone who owns a business on their own, not in partnership with anyone else country practice rural business taken the road less travelled done what only a few people do benefits'd far outweigh any problems The benefits would far outweigh any problems.
This means that there would be more good things than bad things. bite the bullet do something you don't want to do; do something unpleasant you can't avoid Example: I'm going to have to bite the bullet and pay my debts. go for it just do it; do something even though it looks difficult
Example: Don't worry about how hard people say it is - just go for it. |
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Vodcast
Rural Health
