Coalition promises $6.5m for business training

Under the plan, a re-elected Coalition would provide $6.5 million towards a practical program to enhance the strategic business management and practice skills of pharmacists and their key staff. 

All pharmacists would be able to attend a two-day course in accounting, human resource management, marketing and change management. 

The Minister for Health and Ageing, Tony Abbott, said an important part of the plan would be to provide locums where required to manage a pharmacist’s practice while they attended the course.

"Pharmacists are professionals who run small and medium-sized businesses. The Coalition recognises that pharmacy businesses can suffer if the pharmacist is away from their practice for two days (especially when they are in rural and regional Australia)," said Mr Abbott, in a statement released today.

The plan would also include funding for meals, transport and, for rural and regional pharmacists, accommodation costs while they are attending the program.

This new plan would complement the Pharmacy Guild of Australia’s Practice Change Improvement Programme, also funded by the Coalition Government as part of the five-year agreement between the government and the Guild.