Glen Innes pharmacy owner Michael Graydon is set up to deliver vaccines, but he was unable to submit an expression of interest to provide AstraZeneca earlier this year owing to an acute pharmacist shortage in the region.
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"I've been having locum pharmacists, and I didn't know if they would be qualified to be able to give the vaccine, so I decided not to put an expression of interest in," Mr Graydon said.
"If I knew I was going to be here all the time, then I would have done the training and be more than happy to do it, but not knowing what pharmacist would be working here, I wasn't game to do it.
So far, this hasn't been an issue for his customers though Mr Graydon said, as the community demand for the vaccine at Graydon Amcal has been low.
"I have only had one enquiry, but if I was going to do it, I'd be advertising heavily that I'm available to do it because I think it is important that pharmacies get involved," he said.
"My life is on the coast now, and I haven't been able to get a managing pharmacist, so I have to employ locums to work here in Glen Innes.
"It is almost impossible to get pharmacists in regional areas.
"The lady at the recruitment company I use has 63 regional pharmacies on her books, and since the beginning of the year, she has only filled three positions.
"If you live on the coast, you've probably got a fair chance, but as soon as you head west of the ridge, they don't want to know about you."
The only person I had that showed any interest at all wanted well over double the award wage.
Mr Graydon said he is offering above award wages to try to get people.
"The only person I had that showed any interest at all wanted well over double the award wage, plus super, plus a $40 a day meal allowance plus the rent," he said.
"If I did that, I'd be losing money, so I may as well hire locums. The pharmacy is still doing quite well, but my customers don't get continuity. Jenny Jackson from Guyra has been doing quite a bit for me, though, so that has made it bearable, and I can get back to the coast to see my wife on weekends."
Pharmaceutical Society of Australia NSW branch president Chelsea Felkai told the Examiner the intention was to eventually roll out the vaccine program to all NSW pharmacists who wish to participate, but there was currently no timing on when this would happen.
"All pharmacies that have submitted an expression of interest and have been approved by NSW Health have been submitted to the Commonwealth for approval, and there are 1250 of those pharmacies in NSW," she said.
Vanessa Arundale
Everyone has a story to tell and I like to help them do it.
Everyone has a story to tell and I like to help them do it.
