DoH Secretary to stepdown before sealing 7CPA.

Commonwealth Department of Health (DoH) Secretary, Glenys Beauchamp, will stepdown from the position on Fri, after just over two years in the role.

Beauchamp will officially retire on 28 Feb, however, Minister for Health, Greg Hunt, announced she will be on leave from 24 Jan. 

The 21-year veteran of the Australian Public Service will leave the Department without securing a deal for the next Community Pharmacy Agreement (CPA), despite having told delegates at Pharmacy Connect in Sydney last Sep that the Government had set an ambitious 31 Dec 2019 deadline.

In a statement announcing Beauchamp’s retirement, Hunt said incumbent Chief Medical Officer, Professor Brendan Murphy, has been recommended as the new Secretary. 

Pharmacy Guild of Australia National President, George Tambassis, praised Beauchamp’s support and advocacy for the community pharmacy sector.

“In our dealings with her we found she was very receptive to the need to take pressure off other areas of the health sector by having community pharmacists provide a wider range of services for their patients,” he said.

“She recognised the accessibility of community pharmacies was an important factor in improving the health outcomes of all Australians.”

See tomorrow’s edition of Pharmacy Daily for more.

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