SPECIAL WOOLWORTHS FEATURE
An update on all the current issues and speculation as to what options are available to both Woolworths and the Pharmacy Guild of Australia.

EDITORIAL

Woolworths Rx-What it Sees
NEIL JOHNSTON
Management Consultant Perspective

If we were able to objectively stand back and look at the organisation that is Woolworths, we would probably be quite proud of the fact that this home-grown retailer is recognised globally as a best practice retailer, fiercely competitive and forever innovative.
The fact that they represent a sizeable chunk of Australia's GDP gives them economic and political influence that is only matched or bettered, by a handful of other Australian companies.
It's total retailing market share is unparalleled in any other western country.
In a duopoly with its primary rival Coles-Myer, both companies control 80 percent of the Australian retail market, leading some commentators to speculate that this will not be for the ultimate good of consumers.

Woolworths Rx-Strategic Options
NEIL JOHNSTON
Management Consultant Perspective

The timeline for Woolworths ambition to own pharmacies initially began in the late 1960's, just after Pharmacy lost its case for protectionism under the newly created Trade Practices Act.
I was, in fact, the first pharmacist targeted by Woolworths in their aspiration to become a chain pharmacy operation.
How did this come about?

Woolworths Rx- the John Bronger Dialogue
NEIL JOHNSTON
Management Consultant Perspective

In the September edition of the Australian Journal of Pharmacy, John Bronger discussed the Woolworths Pharmacy proposals and his views on the subject.
Let me say that for a pharmacy leader he was short on strategy and had no defence to offer to counter future Woolworth's plans. This was predictable, given his views on corporatisation (follow this link) and his slavish attachment to protectionism.
This smacks of a catastrophe in the making for traditional pharmacy and represents a "head-in-the-sand" attitude by John Bronger and the Pharmacy Guild of Australia, for there are a multiplicity of alternatives available, and this publication has been warning pharmacists for nearly four years of what was likely to happen and how to fight it.

Would it matter to GPs if the
Pharmacy was in Woolworths ?
HEATHER PYM
A Division of General Practice Perspective

There has been a lot of talk in the pharmacy profession since the CEO of Woolworths was seen on TV news announcing his ambitious plan to have pharmacies in 100 supermarket stores in the near future.
In my GP conversations, surprisingly, this has not come up - I wonder why?

Woolworths Rx-the Woolworths B.Pharm
KEN STAFFORD
Consultant Pharmacist Perspective

This is a first for me - writing to a particular theme.
When Neil notified me about his desire to have an issue on Woolworths and pharmacy services my first thought was "What can I say that might be relevant to the issue I'm a government bureaucrat with an interest in consultant pharmacy services?"
Once the panic attack went away I decided that I might be able to offer some thoughts on the topic.

Woolworths Rx-Reducing PBS Costs
MARK COLEMAN
Medical Centre Perspective

Roger Corbett (Woolworths CEO) has consistently argued that he can reduce the cost of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) to the Federal Government and the ultimate taxpayers.
Where is it possible in this highly regulated industry of ours, to find the operational cost savings or the ability to reduce drug purchase costs?
The government already has highly regarded contracting systems in place for the listing of drugs and their sale through the PBS system, and this has been proven effective in keeping drug costs down.
The PBS is a planned system and regulated to a high degree.
If Woolworths are to have any effect on influencing government decisions, they will have to demonstrate how they can reduce the cost of the PBS, and what the ultimate effect will be on consumers.
If Woolworths are successful in achieving a position of influence, some of the restrictive regulations would disappear quite rapidly.

Woolworths Rx-Keeping them at Bay
SIMON RUDDERHAM
New Owner Pharmacist Perspective

So Woolworths have indicated that they are keenly interested in making serious moves into the pharmacy market.
They see it as an opportunity to consolidate 100% of the consumer market in their one stop shop, which already consists of greengroceries, liquor, smallgoods, petrol, bakery. It would be a natural progression for them to look to pharmacy.
Pharmacy is not a traditional commerce, and I think once (if) Woolworths manage to break into that market, they will find that to be problematic.

Woolworths-Rx-Discussions from PAC
KARALYN HUXHAGEN
PSA Councilor Perspective

Another PAC has come and gone and those of you who could not attend it have missed an excellent opportunity to discuss issues and 'chew the cud' with your peers and international experts.
While there were some interesting presentations form various experts and academics, for me some of the most interesting times were spent in discussions with my peers and elders as to the 'Woolies question'.
This area of contentious issue to pharmacy seems to have so many variants and ideological issues attached to it that I for one, and I know I was not alone, was totally confused of what official pharmacy's stand is on 'Pharmacies in Supermarkets/Chain Stores'.

World's Best Practice
PAT GALLAGHER
IT Consultant Perspective

Editor's Note: We asked Pat Gallagher to jot down some notes for the Woolworths debate, and he has come up with some unique commentary.
He comments on Australian pharmacy's "world best practice", and I am certain that this will be pharmacy's central theme for any defence of their position as gatekeeper of medicines.
Woolworths understand that striving for excellence always wins out, and so does pharmacy.
It just remains to be seen to what degree of excellence pharmacy aspires to, and it must be seen to be better than Woolworths, at least in the health arena.
Read on with interest.

Throwing the Right Grenade
ROLLO MANNING
An Indigenous/Rural/Isolated/Remote Perspective

The success of the battle will be governed by the effectiveness of the ammunition.
I get the impression that the more official pharmacy argues against pharmacy ownership going open - the more ammunition it gives the "opposition" to throw back without it going off where it is meant to.
Consider the following assertions and the counter argument:

SUMMARY

A lot of questions have been raised by the writers of i2P and a range of options presented that could represent various pathways that Woolworths may take.
The following is what I believe will be a reasonable "crystal ball" presentation as to what will happen in terms of strategy, and simultaneously poses a range of questions that pharmacy leaders must prepare answers to, after reviewing their own strategies.

The 'Wellness Revolution' Summit
VAL JOHANSON
A Complementary Medicine Perspective

The Natural Healthcare Summit in Canberra last week provided a perfect opportunity for the Complementary Healthcare Council to challenge the current so called 'health' system, which even the immediate past Health Minister had noted when he claimed that he was supposed to be the Minister for Health, but in fact was the Minister for disease.
The Wellness Revolution brought together the best of science with economic facts in a range of presentations which collectively made a compelling argument for why natural healthcare must take its proper place as a major part of our national healthcare policy.

Recommendations From the
2002 Survey of Australia’s Pharmacies
CON BERBATIS
A Researcher Perspective

Editor's Note: Well known pharmacy researcher,Con Berbatis, has now completed the recommendation from his ground-breaking Australian pharmacy survey in 2002.
It has been hailed as one of the most complete surveys ever undertaken, primarily because of the large number of respondents. At a time when pharmacy is under a major threat from Woolworths, it is this type of information that can form the basis of suitable national strategies to guide pharmacists through the ever increasing complexity of pharmacy practice.
For more details, you may need to visit the website of the survey, found at: http://www.curtin.edu.au/curtin/dept/pharmacy/survey/index.html
You shold bookmark this page for future reference.

Breast Feeding and Pregnancy
ANDREW SNOW
Pre-registration Pharmacist Perspective

In this article, I aim to increase your understanding of breastfeeding to help you educate pre-natal mothers on the benefits of breastfeeding, how to do it, and the possible difficulties.

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