GEO Care Reconfirm Their Confidence in HPS’ Correctional Pharmacy Services

It is with great pleasure and excitement that HPS announces its success in securing the tender for the ongoing provision of pharmacy services delivered by its network of pharmacies in Victorian public prisons in which GEO Care provides primary health services.

Furthermore, as part of the joint tender process between GEO Care and Forensicare, HPS’s network of pharmacies will continue to deliver pharmacy services to two of Forensicare’s mental health facilities co-located with GEO Care – the Marrmak Program at Dame Phyllis Frost Centre and the Acute Assessment Unit at Melbourne Assessment Prison.

Steve Yeo, HPS’s Chief Operating Officer, says “HPS is proud to again be GEO Care’s pharmacy service provider of choice. Our group has delivered services to GEO Care for more than a decade and the continuation of this partnership is a real testament to HPS’s network of pharmacies’ enduring quality services. HPS’s network of pharmacies are pleased to provide the specialty services that GEO Care needs in support of their health charter and are excited to see this legacy continue for an extended period.”

Established in 1997, (originally as Pacific Shores Healthcare) GEO Care provides high-quality, innovative and effective primary healthcare services to each of the 12 correctional facilities they service in Victoria.

Since securing the contract in December 2012, HPS’s network of pharmacies has continued to work hard towards successfully managing the complex transition to delivering GEO Care with state-based services, ensuring minimal disruptions to ongoing operations, which is of utmost importance to GEO Care’s General Manager – Healthcare, John Hoogeveen.

John says, “we have a long-term relationship with HPS and are looking forward to moving [our partnership] to the next level following their successful tender outcome.

“We know HPS has a strong background in correctional health and consequently offers experience in an area with unique challenges.

“We are confident HPS’ experience will provide solutions to the challenges associated with delivery of healthcare in complex environments.”

Brooke Kenny, General Manager, Corrections and Health Facilities, says HPS has invested considerably in new technologies, aimed at delivering improved client services and significant cost savings to the State, whilst maintaining the highest quality services available in the market place.

This investment includes the installation of a new state-of-the-art automated packaging machine and medication detection machine at the dedicated correctional pharmacy in Victoria, to facilitate the introduction of mediSACHe across the correctional setting.

mediSACHe, HPS’ innovative multi-dose administration packaging system, has delivered significant resource efficiencies for HPS’s network of pharmacies and will lead to significant financial reductions for GEO Care and ultimately to the State.

“HPS’s network of pharmacies have proposed a number of innovative changes to medication management across the system, including the introduction of mediSACHe, and improved technological tools and business processes”, John says.

John is keen for GEO Care to capitalise on HPS’s correctional and broader industry experience in ensuring the business moves towards best practice in medication management.

Operationally, HPS’s network of pharmacies will deliver services to an additional three remotely located prisons – Dhurringile Prison, Beechworth Correctional Centre and Tarrengower Prison, and has tailored services to meet the needs of the individual correctional facilities.

Tony Wyatt, Chief Executive Officer, says “this partnership has evolved under a shared vision to provide health services with an aligned purpose and HPS’s network of pharmacies is elated to now become GEO Care’s sole provider of pharmacy services in Victoria for the coming years.”