RACGP urges Tasmania to redirect funds to aged care safety

The Royal Australian College of GPs (RACGP) is urging the Tasmanian government to rethink its spending priorities ahead of the state budget, warning that proposed pharmacy prescribing trials could compromise patient safety and divert funding from older Tasmanians who need it most.

The College wants the government to redirect the $5 million allocated for a pharmacy scope‑of‑practice expansion pilot and instead embed pharmacists directly inside residential aged care facilities. According to the RACGP, the shift would be cost‑neutral and deliver immediate improvements in medication safety.

RACGP Tasmania chair Dr Toby Gardner said the state had a chance to lead the country by backing a model that strengthens collaboration between pharmacists, GPs and nurses.

“Tasmania’s older residents need medication systems that prevent harm, not a retail‑based prescribing experiment operating outside established medical governance,” he said.

“Embedding pharmacists in aged care is evidence‑driven, cost‑effective and immediately improves safety for some of our most vulnerable people.”

Dr Gardner said the government could make a “cost‑neutral decision that will reduce harm, keep older Tasmanians out of hospital, and strengthen our health system”.

The RACGP argues that the retail‑based pharmacy prescribing model risks fragmenting care and duplicating services, particularly for older people with complex health needs. It says that domestic and international evidence shows that on‑site pharmacists in aged care reduce medication errors, prevent avoidable hospitalisations and improve communication between clinicians.

While the funding redirection is the centrepiece of the RACGP’s 2026–27 pre‑budget submission, the College is also calling for broader reforms to support Tasmania’s GP workforce and ease pressure on hospitals.

One recommendation is to remove payroll tax obligations for GP registrars, which the RACGP says currently discourage practices from taking on trainees. It wants registrar training recognised as a protected activity exempt from payroll tax.

The RACGP is also pushing for targeted infrastructure grants to help rural and regional practices expand consulting rooms, upgrade supervision spaces and improve digital capacity. It argues this funding could be repurposed from the existing TassieDoc program.

Other priorities include expanding RSV vaccination to Tasmanians aged 75 and over, and increasing the number of GPs with Specific Interests working in public outpatient clinics to reduce wait times and improve patient flow.