Esther Hernandez Medication Management

01/08/2026

I am very fortunate to have the opportunity to learn from another amazing consultant pharmacist at a recent diabetes mentoring session. I am also very grateful to see an increase in women in this age group for home medicine reviews.

Women in this age group make up a large workforce and you can get help to feel your best to continue to work and enjoy life. Talk to your GP and see if a home medicine review referral is indicated.

Bo Youn Kim is transforming women’s lives through a holistic approach to perimenopause at her clinic, EmpowHer Menopause.

31/07/2026

Finally 🎉 a positive step for Home Medicines Reviews (HMR)!

The low reimbursement and unreimbursed travel time and costs for consultant pharmacists have made it difficult for me to offer follow-up consultations sustainably so I have reduced follow-up visits substantially for a while now. Almost all follow up visits are initated by the GP for my patients.

From 1st November 2026, eligible HMR follow-ups can be delivered via telehealth 🎉This is a welcome change that will improve accessibility, continuity of care and the sustainability of follow-up services! Thank you so much Minister Butler!

The next step, Minister Butler: please reconsider removal of the arbitrary cap of 30 HMR patients per month ASAP! This July, I had one appointment spot remaining about half way through the month, I carefully saved a spot for an urgent referral just in case and I had two referrals hit my inbox at about the same time, both recently discharged from hospital and needed medication reviewed ASAP. I was forced to choose one and I told the other I will see him 1st of August. 1st of August is a Saturday, you might ask? I knew it was a Saturday and I have family commitments but I was happy to go see him between family commitments. The patient that I reviewed mid July, her GP texted to thank me and said the HMR had helped enormously and they were so grateful. Unfortunately, I got a call from the carer of the patient I am seeing tomorrow, the first day of a new month to not come tomorrow as he is back into hospital :(

Why should we make to pick which patient to attend? Why are we the only professional or really in any jobs that we have a limit on how many people we can service?

Please remove or increase the monthly cap ASAP so access to HMRs is guided by NEED - not an arbitrary number. 🙏

31 July 2026   The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) has today welcomed the announcement that will afford pharmacists greater flexibility in delivering Home Medicines (...)

16/06/2026

In case you missed it, I was invited to talk about what is a consultant pharmacist and challenges we face on ABC Illawarra.

20/04/2026

Face to face home medicines review is always best but with current limited funding plus fuel crisis, patients are missing out. Telehealth makes sense for most follow up visits and initial visits when patients do not have a credentialed pharmacist live near by!

06/04/2026

Have you ever come across a healthcare service provider that is capped at just 30 patients per month? All consultant pharmacists delivering Home Medicines Reviews (HMRs) do as the government has a budget to adhere and somehow out of all healthcare service providers, only we have this rule applied...

HMR is a fully government-funded service, and each consultant pharmacist is limited to 30 patients per month. In addition, we are to absorb all administrative workload and travel costs (unless patients are located more than 200 km away). The service must be conducted in the patient's home, with very limited exceptions (safety or religious reasons), and telehealth is not permitted. Despite rising living costs and fuel prices roaring, remuneration has not changed since 2019.

This program plays a vital role in medication safety: reducing hospitalisations, minimising medication burden, and improving quality of life. However, increasing constraints have led to burnout, with many consultant pharmacists leaving the field. As a result, many Australians remain unaware that this service exists.

To ensure equitable access, meaningful changes are needed urgently. You can help by raising awareness: if you know someone taking five or more medicines, experiencing side effects from medication, or who has been on the same list of medication and doses for 10, 20 years, encourage them to speak with their GP about a Home Medicines Review. If you feel the restrictions are unjustified, please reach out to your local Labour members.

For some of Australia’s most vulnerable patients, a Home Medicines Review (HMR) is not just delayed, it never happens.