Bonny Hills will get its very own pharmacy as part of a new medical and health centre at the Bonny Hills Shopping Centre in Ocean Drive following today's announcement that the federal Coalition government has approved a licence that allows the pharmacy to supply medicines available on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.
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The government has given the green light for the new Bonny Hills Pharmacy following a compelling case put forward by local pharmacist Karen Pikett, myself and nearly 3000 people who signed a petition which was tabled by me in Parliament.
We recognise the significant growth taking place here in Lake Cathie and Bonny Hills. The population grew by more than 17 per cent in the ten years since 2006, well above the state average of 14.2 per cent over the same period.
Our government understands and supports the current framework which applies Pharmacy Location Rules governing where new pharmacies may be established. We do, however, reserve the right to intervene where it is plainly common sense to do so.
Under the Location Rules, Bonny Hills falls just inside the exclusion zone in relation to where another pharmacy may be located.
Like Lake Cathie, Bonny Hills is a rapidly growing community and there is certainly justification to have a pharmacy in its own right.
I have had a number of discussions with the Minister for Health Greg Hunt and his office about the need for a pharmacy in Bonny Hills and I was able to demonstrate this with the population data we have seen in recent years, the demographics of our local population, and the growth forecasts for the next 15 to 20 years.
This a great day for the people of Bonny Hills, and for those in Lake Cathie, where some of the local services have been pretty busy in more recent times and I congratulate Karen and her team on achieving this wonderful outcome for the community.
The new Bonny Hills Centre is expected to open sometime in the middle of next month. The community of Bonny Hills will be able to access medical treatment in its entirety without leaving the suburb, which is a great relief for many elderly, sick and those with young infants.
The pharmacy will provide timely access to PBS medicines along with other essential services such as medication reviews, chronic disease services and compliance aids. We hope to open the pharmacy on the May 13, three prescribers - including two GPs and a dentist, as well as a registered nurse and pathology.
From next month, the Bonny Hills Shopping Centre will contain the full medical centre and pharmacy, dentist, café, hair salon and children's clothing store.
