There have been five Pharmacists in the Federal Parliament - John Hodges (a Minister in the Fraser Government), Anthony Lamb, Tony Lawler, James Snow and myself. With the exception of 1997, every year between 1972 and 2001 saw at least one Pharmacist sitting in the House of Representatives. It’s been 15 years since Tony Lawler left the Chamber, and I am the first woman to chart this particular course.
My colleagues, from across the House, come from many and varied backgrounds. Teachers, lawyers, economists, disability workers, journalists – the list goes on. Each of us brings our own experience and skills to the role; but in my case, having a background in health is central to the way I view public policy.
I pursued a career in politics because of a deeply held belief that the actions of Government have a profound impact on the health and wellbeing of individuals and communities. In the region I represent (on the Central Coast of NSW) employment, particularly for young people, limited economic growth and increasing inequality are challenges. However, with a rapid increase in population, the provision of quality, affordable, local services – particularly health care - is one of the highest priorities
For the largest part of my career I was the specialist mental health pharmacist at Wyong Hospital. Those living with mental illness are particularly vulnerable and the lack of resources for public hospitals and community mental health teams is alarming and must be urgently addressed. Patients are increasingly cared for in the community, but if support services are not in place or adequately resourced then patients, their carers, and the community suffer. I enter this role with a firm commitment to improve the care of those living with mental illness.
I took a policy to my community at the election to establish a $10 million trial of respite care for people living with dementia and those who care for them. The Central Coast was to be one of two trial sites in a joint project between Alzheimer’s Australia and the University of Wollongong. It is important for leaders and policymakers to be aware of the impact of dementia on communities, now and in the future. Of course it’s harder to introduce policy from Opposition, but this is a project that is definitely needed and close to my heart and I will work to keep it on the agenda.
My region does not have a community palliative care facility and I am working with a local organisation to establish a place where people can receive end of life care comfortably and with their loved ones. Our conversations around primary health care, chronic disease, pain management and palliative care need to progress and one the greatest privileges of being a Member of Parliament is to be in a position to advance these debates.
Recently, I was pleased to co-host the cross-party launch of Professor Stephen Duckett’s Grattan Institute Report in to sugar-sweetened beverages, which calls for a tax on sugary drinks to offset health costs relating to obesity and reduce sugar intake. Through my experience in mental health, I have seen firsthand the consequences of obesity in vulnerable patient populations. While no single measure will address our obesity crisis, price signals can play a role in changing behaviour. Taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages - most of which contain no nutritional benefit and are heavily consumed by children – have been successfully introduced overseas and we should look closely at the outcomes.
Science is precise, policy is not. Policy should not be exempt from scrutiny or change. I am listening to my community as they tell me about the transition to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), and while the principles remain strong, it’s important that clients and stakeholders have the opportunity to share their experience with the NDIS. The stories I hear are not always positive, and we are obliged to acknowledge and address those concerns. Public policy is best when it is shaped by those with lived experience.
Our profession, and our representative bodies, have a seat at the table when it comes to forming policy. While we await the final report in the King Review, I remain a strong advocate for the current system of community pharmacy, including pharmacy ownership by pharmacists.
Looking forward, pharmacy must remain at the policymaking table. As pressure on the health sector grows, and technology changes the way consumers access health information, the delivery of quality, professional advice and services - from medicines experts - is more important, not less. In this context, the public is best served when we work together.
Think what you may of politicians and election campaigns, but this job provides a rare insight into people’s lives. I am often invited in to the homes of people I haven’t met, and have countless conversations each day about how people feel Government can or should work to improve their communities. As pharmacists we often see patients in clinical settings; but it’s entirely different when you are in a person’s home, face to face, simply listening.
On one occasion, I met a young mother named Michelle. She told me she had just moved to the area with her 4 year old daughter, having fled a violent relationship with a previous partner. She was living with her mum, searching for a place to settle after all the recent upheaval. Michelle’s mother told me she was worried about her granddaughter’s development because she hadn’t started preschool yet; moving so much, and living in temporary housing, Michelle had not been in a position to enrol her anywhere. Soon she would be starting Primary School, a transition more difficult without the support of early childhood education. Michelle told me she is diabetic, and asked me where she could find a doctor in the town who bulk-bills.
I often retell this story because it demonstrates the social determinants of health. Health care does not exist in isolation; how ‘well’ we are cannot be separated from where we are born, where we live, where we grow up. It should never be because of it.
I’m learning each day what it means to be an MP, but I know what it means to be a pharmacist. My friend Elizabeth Frost (a retired Pharmacist and former President of the Pharmacy Board of NSW) believes a background in Pharmacy is excellent training for listening and helping others. I am hopeful that my contribution to the 45th Parliament will advance – in some small way – the health of my community and that of the Australian people generally.
Emma McBride is the ALP Member for Dobell. She has been a practicing pharmacist for close to 20 years with a special interest in mental health. Prior to her election, Emma was the Deputy Director of Pharmacy for the Central Coast Local Health District.