Pharmacy visits could replace GP trips for some medicines

People may soon be able to bypass the GP and head to the pharmacist for a wider ranges of medicines, at a cheaper price. The government proposal would allow pharmacists to assess a patient, provide a consultation, and supply a treatment, similar to a GP visit. It would also mean patients get treatments at a lower cost, rather than paying full over-the-counter prices. Treatments for scabies, headlice, and conjunctivitis would be covered, as well as emergency contraception pill. Lanny Wong, a pharmacist, director of Mangawhai Pharmacy and a member of the national executive of the Pharmaceutical Society spoke to Lisa Owen.