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Annual Report - Outcome 2: Access to Pharmaceutical Services > Part 2 Performance Information

Performance Information for Administered Items


Administered Funding – Access to Pharmaceutical Services, including:
  • Community Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Awareness;
  • Pharmaceuticals and Pharmaceutical Services; and
  • Targeted Assistance – Pharmaceuticals, Aids and Appliances.
Indicator Measured by Reference Point or Target
Effectiveness of the Herceptin® Program. Number of patients assisted through the Herceptin® Program. 1,000 patients assisted.
Indicator met. The number of patients actively receiving treatment through the program in 2006-07 varied between 1,024 and 1,099.
Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme prescriptions will be subsidised for general and concessional patients. The number of Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme prescriptions subsidised. 179 million Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme prescriptions subsidised, representing approximately 8.7 prescriptions per capita.
Indicator substantially met. 169 million Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme prescriptions were subsidised in 2006-07, representing approximately 8.1 prescriptions per capita.
Families and singles qualify for reduced patient co-payments under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme safety net. The number of families and singles that qualify for reduced patient co-payments under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme safety net. 1.2 million families and singles qualify.
Indicator substantially met.

1.1 million families and singles qualified for reduced patient co-payments under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme safety net in 2006-07.

Fewer families and singles qualified, due to the safety net threshold and the introduction of the 20 day rule whereby the cost of some drugs is not counted towards safety net entitlements if supplied earlier than 20 days from a previous supply.

Increased expenditure on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. Percentage of increase in expenditure on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. 7.1% increase in expenditure on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme in 2006-07.
Indicator substantially met.

The percentage increase was 4.1%, including revenue.

The two main causes of variation from the target are reductions in the growth rate for several drug groups, particularly chemotherapy, lipid lowering and blood pressure drugs, along with the listing of 13 major new drugs including Herceptin® for early breast cancer.

Persons with diabetes benefit from subsidised products and services through the National Diabetes Services Scheme. The number of persons with diabetes benefit from subsidised products and services through the National Diabetes Services Scheme. An estimated 862,200 persons with diabetes will benefit from subsidised products.
Indicator met. As at 30 June 2007, 857,488 persons with diabetes were registered on the National Diabetes Services Scheme. The scheme provides access to products and information to help people with diabetes self-manage their condition.
All areas for review identified in the Fourth Community Pharmacy Agreement are completed during the life of the Agreement. The number of reviews completed. 11 reviews completed.
Indicator substantially met.

The Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme Concessional Entitlement Validation Payments to Pharmacy was completed in 2006-07.

All other reviews have commenced. The Statement of Outcomes/ Scope for the Reviews which are required to be completed within the first year of the Fourth Community Pharmacy Agreement have been agreed by the Agreement Consultative Committee. The Government and the Pharmacy Guild of Australia through the Agreement Consultative Committee have staggered and agreed the timelines for all reviews.
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Performance Information for Departmental Outputs


Output Group 1. Policy Advice, including:
  • Community Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Awareness;
  • Pharmaceuticals and Pharmaceutical Services;
  • Targeted Assistance – Pharmaceuticals, Aids and Appliances; and
  • 2006–07 Budget measures.
Indicator Measured by Reference Point or Target
Quality, relevant and timely advice for Government decision-making. Ministerial satisfaction. Maintain or increase from previous year.
Indicator met. Ministers were satisfied with the quality, relevance and timeliness of advice provided for Government decision-making.
Relevant and timely evidence-based policy research. Production of relevant and timely evidence-based policy research. Relevant evidence-based policy research produced in a timely manner.
Indicator met. Evidence-based policy research undertaken by the Department, such as the provision of policy advice to the Minister on changes to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, was produced in a timely manner.

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Output Group 2. Program Management, including:
  • financial management and reporting;
  • development and management of grants and contracts; and
  • administration and revision of legislation as required.
Indicator Measured by Reference Point or Target
Administered budget predictions are met and actual expenses vary less than 0.5% from budgeted expenses. Percentage that actual expenses vary from budgeted expenses. 0.5% variance from budgeted expenses.
Indicator met. The actual expenses varied from budgeted expenses in 2006-07 by 0.1%.
Stakeholders to participate in program development. Opportunities for stakeholder participation through a range of avenues, such as surveys, conferences and meetings. Stakeholders participated in program development eg. through surveys, conferences and meetings.
Indicator met. Key organisations, including the Department, the Pharmacy Guild of Australia and the Pharmaceutical Society, peak general practice organisations and disease-specific representative bodies have developed proposals for a Diabetes Pilot Program and a public health program on Hepatitis C in pharmacy. A public stakeholder consultation process, to inform the directions and priorities for the Research and Development program, including seven public fora, was managed by the Department on behalf of the Professional Programs and Services Advisory Committee.

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Produced by the Portfolio Strategies Division, Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing.
URL: http://www.health.gov.au/internet/annrpt/publishing.nsf/Content/outcome-02-part-2-performance-information-3
If you would like to know more or give us your comments contact: annrep@health.gov.au