Almost half of low-income Central Coast households went without prescribed medication in the past year according to a report from the NSW Council of Social Service.
The alarming statistic comes on top of new data from the Pharmacy Guild revealing Central Coast residents are struggling to afford regular medication, as the cost-of-living crisis hits households hard.
The data shows that 22% of NSW people have been unable to afford medicine in the past three years.
The numbers are worse for those living in regional NSW, where 31% say they have had to skip having a script filled in the past three years because of cost.
This is part of a nationwide trend, with new figures from the Pharmacy Guild, revealing one in five Australians skipped getting their scripts filled in the past three years due to rising costs.
Pharmacist Trent Playford from West Gosford Pharmacy and Priceline Pharmacy Kincumber said the impact of residents going without their prescribed medication was significant.
“We see patients day in and day out making decisions about their medication, like foregoing getting medication for their least important ailment,” Playford said.
“You even see it among family members where a mother will choose to get her child’s medication and forego her own.
“Medication is the forgotten part of the cost-of-living crisis.
“Instead of being an essential item, it’s a luxury for some.
“We keep prescriptions on file, and I see more and more not getting filled.”
Playford said people skipping their prescribed medication added significant pressure to the health and hospital system.
“People are making choices like going without their asthma preventers and then when Spring comes around, we see an increase in hospital admissions with people suffering from asthma,” he said.
He said one solution would be to reduce the Prescribed Pharmaceutical Scheme (PBS) co-payment.
The PBS co-payment is the amount a person pays towards the cost of a PBS subsidised medicine.
From January 1, 2025, a person may pay up to $31.60 for most PBS medicines, or $7.70 if they have a concession card.
“The Guild has done some research and believes the Government should invest in making health care more affordable,” Playford said.
“The co-payment was reduced to $30 in 2022, but it could be reduced even further, possibly to $19 to closer match the concession price of $7.70.
“The cost of patients not taking their medication today is much higher in three-or four-years’ time with the increased cost of treating a patient with a condition that could have been prevented.
“As a pharmacist, we’re out there everyday trying to help our patients.”
Central Coast residents who are finding it challenging to afford medication during the past year are being urged to share their story affordablemedicines.com.au
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