{"id":648535,"date":"2026-05-04T07:21:16","date_gmt":"2026-05-04T07:21:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/648535\/"},"modified":"2026-05-04T07:21:16","modified_gmt":"2026-05-04T07:21:16","slug":"this-mothers-day-lets-spotlight-mums-delivering-hmr-care","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/648535\/","title":{"rendered":"This Mother\u2019s Day, let\u2019s spotlight mums delivering HMR care"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Behind the flexible appeal of Home Medicines Reviews (HMRs) is a primarily female workforce \u2013 many of them mothers \u2013 delivering critical care while navigating increasing financial pressures.<\/p>\n

Women make up around 70% of the credentialed pharmacists<\/a> who deliver HMRs, with two-thirds under the age of 40. HMR work is a constant balancing act that involves managing the significant demands of professional practice alongside raising young families.\u00a0<\/p>\n

With Mother\u2019s Day approaching, the reality of HMR work mirrors a common narrative for women in pharmacy: highly skilled professionals delivering personalised care, while managing significant responsibilities at home.\u00a0<\/p>\n

These pressures increasingly undermine the sustainability of HMR practice.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"Katie Phillips MPS<\/p>\n

\u2018There is a reluctance for people to give up permanent employment for a career pathway which is not assured,\u2019 said credentialed pharmacist Katie Phillips MPS.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Critical care for vulnerable Australians<\/p>\n

Pharmacists conducting HMRs play a crucial role in supporting quality use of medicines among vulnerable Australians at risk of medication misadventure.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Credentialed pharmacist Erica Stephenson MPS, told AP that one of the most important aspects of her role is just being there.<\/p>\n

\u2018For an hour, I might have relieved somebody\u2019s loneliness by being in their home and having a chat with them about them and their medication.\u2019<\/p>\n

With current HMR caps set at 30 HMRs per month<\/a>, access can become an issue, particularly in rural and remote areas. \u2018No one should have to wait for a review when there are credentialed pharmacists able to provide the service but capped out for the month,\u2019 Ms Phillips said.<\/p>\n

Ms Stephenson added that \u2018the cap gets you caught. At the end of the month, you might get that emergency, and you\u2019ve already hit your cap and then can\u2019t provide the service.\u2019<\/p>\n

\"\"Erica Stephenson MPS with her kids
\nFlexibility with hidden costs<\/p>\n

HMR work is often promoted for its flexibility, yet the reality is far more complicated. Alongside delivering the service, pharmacists have to grapple with long hours, extensive travel and significant unpaid work \u2013 including driving, documentation and reporting.\u00a0<\/p>\n

For mothers, these demands pose significant challenges when balancing professional and personal responsibilities. \u2018When everything related to a HMR is taken into account, the pay rate is unsustainable, especially with many pharmacies\/HMR businesses taking a cut of a pharmacist\u2019s HMR earnings,\u2019 Ms Phillips said.<\/p>\n

As a mother of two young girls, Ms Phillips describes herself as \u2018incredibly time poor and forever on the go,\u2019 with HMRs often scheduled on her \u2018days off\u2019.<\/p>\n

Ms Stephenson transitioned into HMR work as her sole form of employment to provide a sense of flexibility as a single mum with chronic health issues. And since becoming a credentialed diabetes educator, she is \u2018busier than ever\u2019.<\/p>\n

When asked what would make HMRs more sustainable, Ms Phillips suggested telehealth as a pivotal follow-up method.<\/p>\n

\"\"Katie Phillip MPS with her two daughters<\/p>\n

\u2018There is so much value in a follow-up call to close the loop of care,\u2019 she said.<\/p>\n

\u2018I have had a patient\u2019s daughter text me almost daily, waiting out the month before [an HMR] follow-up, as various dose changes were made by the GP with not so great results.<\/p>\n

\u2018I happily responded to all her texts, but I didn\u2019t really need to see the patient in person again to be able to advise on what should be next, and there is no recognition or remuneration for this time,\u2019 Ms Stephenson said.<\/p>\n

The employment model piles on further strain. Most credentialed pharmacists are self-employed practitioners, so there is limited security \u2013 ranging from no superannuation, sick leave or annual leave \u2013 and time off is typically unpaid.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Ms Stephenson works 50 weeks of the year, taking time off only over Christmas as the backlog of referrals grows exponentially.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2018I joke that sometimes I\u2019m on negative $5 an hour because I\u2019m just so buried in admin. It\u2019s a full-time job just keeping on top of the admin, which is, of course, unpaid,\u2019 Ms Stephenson said.<\/p>\n

\u2018I don\u2019t really have any disposable income. I just pay my bills, and that\u2019s it. Which is unfair on my kids who are very independent and have their own jobs, but that\u2019s just the way it is.\u2019<\/p>\n

These pressures are compounded by irregular referral patterns, which take a sense of financial stability out of the question. The Australian Health and Medical Research Workforce Audit<\/a> shows that a lack of funding, job security and work-life balance are the main reasons individuals consider leaving the field.<\/p>\n

Ms Stephenson urged younger mums looking to broaden their scope that HMRs are maybe not as clear cut as they seem as \u2018You\u2019re actually on the job 24\/7 almost\u2019.<\/p>\n

Structural barriers
\n\"\"Deborah Hawthorne FPS with her two daughters<\/p>\n

HMR remuneration has not been indexed since 2019 and remains at $222.77 per review, raising consistent concerns regarding long-term sustainability of the practice.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Funded by the Australian Government under the Community Pharmacy Agreements, an increase in the cost of living has not been met with an increase in fees, meaning that each pharmacist is essentially taking a pay cut each year.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2018Once you take out tax, provisions for personal leave\/annual leave etc., the hourly rate is pitiful. And when appointments are cancelled due to the clinician or patient, it can leave you high and dry financially,\u2019 Ms Phillips said.<\/p>\n

Ms Stephenson, a single mum of two teenagers, called for an \u2018essential\u2019 increase to remuneration. \u2018For every $222, I take $26 out for superannuation, $55 for tax, and $10 if I want to treat myself to catch up with friends. That leaves me with $130 to run my car and pay subscriptions, household bills and mortgage,\u2019 she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2018There is a reluctance for people to give up permanent employment for a career pathway which is not assured.\u2019<\/p>\n

katie phillips MPS\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2019[The] 200 km limit for travel is too high. I can drive for an hour to see somebody and still not be eligible for the rural travel allowance.\u2019<\/p>\n

The lack of employment entitlements further exacerbates the issue. \u2018As a young mum, if I have to cancel HMRs because my kids are sick, I don\u2019t get paid,\u2019 she said.<\/p>\n

\u2018[And I] might miss special moments like a bedtime story because [I\u2019m] frantically trying to finish something that the doctor\u2019s waiting on urgently.\u2019<\/p>\n

Despite these mounting challenges, many pharmacists remain committed to delivering HMRs, driven by the impact they have on patient care \u2013 particularly for elderly Australians and those with chronic and complex conditions.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Sustainable HMR practice, Ms Phillips said, depends on \u2018Being paid appropriately, with appropriately indexed remuneration reflecting the level of skills and experience required, travel costs, and allowances for lack of entitlements\u2019.<\/p>\n

With demand for medication reviews projected to grow<\/a>, driven by an aging population, rising rates of polypharmacy and a need to manage preventable, medication-related hospital admissions, there are increasing calls to address indexation and structural barriers \u2013 ensuring the workforce remains viable and patients continue to receive the care they need.\u00a0<\/p>\n

PSA\u2019s 2026\u201327 Federal Budget Submission<\/a> advocates for the government to lift the indexation freeze on the management of medications to ensure the longevity of patient care.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Behind the flexible appeal of Home Medicines Reviews (HMRs) is a primarily female workforce \u2013 many of them…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":648536,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[252663,64,63,313838,137,252664,252665,313839,40552],"class_list":["post-648535","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-health","tag-2026-27-federal-budget-submission","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-australian-health-and-medical-research-workforce-audit","tag-health","tag-hmr-caps","tag-hmrs","tag-mothers-day","tag-remuneration"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/648535","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=648535"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/648535\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/648536"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=648535"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=648535"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=648535"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}