PROFESSOR Charlie Benrimoj has called for greater collaboration between the Guild and the PSA over its professional future.
Speaking on the opening day of the 33rd PSA Pharmacy Refresher Course in Buenos Aires last month, Prof Benrimoj said the two bodies must to build on their collaborative efforts in the lead-up to the agreement negotiations, and demanded a greater role for the PSA, which at present could only have a limited impact on policy and strategy.
"The Guild is a big gorilla who wants to control everything. It negotiates the head contracts and does not let anybody else near those negotiations," Prof Benrimoj said. He said the Society was underrepresented on Fourth Community Pharmacy Agreement committees, a situation he called "unsustainable".
"I don't believe that position is sustainable; the agreements are moving to the service delivery area. If service delivery is going to be a big issue, you would expect the professional organisation to be much more proactive, given at least an equal say in negotiations with the government," he said.
Prof Benrimoj also criticised a lack of planning in joint pharmacy research needs and outcomes, saying the Guild and PSA needed to create a joint strategic vision for the profession, from both economic and professional perspectives.
"We don't have that at the moment. We have a very ad hoc way and a very unsystematic way of doing things. What we do is fight fires all the time, within and between our organisations. We're very reactive. We need a blueprint for the future that takes into account both the economic and the professional perspectives -- otherwise it is doomed to failure."
Pharmacy Guild of Australia president, Kos Sclavos, dismissed Prof Benrimoj's presentation as a "stunt".
"Talk is cheap, Charlie; resourcing is what matters. In this coming agreement the Guild will invest some $5 million in background papers, research and resourcing. The Guild is happy to have assistance, but that is the level of funding and expertise that is needed to ensure the best possible outcome for pharmacy. That has been the secret of success in the Guild's negotiations over the years," Mr Sclavos said.
The PSA chose not to comment.