Dispensing changes could force Uralla Pharmacy to cut staff

Caroline Sevil has owned the Uralla Pharmacy for about 10 years, and she says if the 60 days' dispensing change is introduced, her small business will lose about 35 per cent of its profits.

Ms Sevil said she would have to cut staff and start charging for services people currently receive for free, such as delivery of webster packets, while in-store bandaging could also cost customers more.

Ms Sevil said Amber Poflotski works as a locum pharmacist every Tuesday.

"I've had to say to her, 'I'm not sure if I am going to be able to afford to keep you'," Ms Sevil said.

In April, the federal government announced the 60 days' dispensing incentive which will enable people with chronic conditions to receive two months' of medication for the price of one from September 1.

Ms Poflotski said she'd be heartbroken if she lost her job.

"I work very hard, and I've come to know the local clients and I've become attached to them. So for me it would be very upsetting," Ms Poflotski said.

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The Uralla Pharmacy is the only chemist in the town of less than 2500 people, which also employs four local floor staff who assist in the dispensary and shop front.

The town has two GP practices with thousands of people from across the region on their books, and Ms Sevil said about 200 prescriptions a day were sent to the Uralla Pharmacy.

Local doctor Ricardo Alkhouri from Uralla Medical Clinic said he would refuse to hand out 60-day prescriptions to his patients in order to keep the local pharmacy going.

"But we are talking millions of dollars [in lost profits to pharmacies] nationally," Dr Alkhouri said.

He said the government's changes would cause rifts in small towns like Uralla where the pharmacy relies on the money generated from prescription medications from local doctors.

Pharmacies across Australia have united in a nationwide push against the incentive, saying they would lose the additional dispensing fee of about $8 each time the patient would otherwise return for their monthly prescription.

Customers have signed "pages and pages" of the petition on display in the Uralla Pharmacy as part of the Pharmacy Guild's nationwide campaign to prevent the measures being introduced, Ms Poflotski said.

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