The Pharmacy Guild of Australia has been advocating strongly for changes to the scope of practice of community pharmacists.

The Guild argues that there are currently legislative and funding barriers that preclude pharmacists from doing all they are skilled to do and that removing these barriers would result in a more efficient, equitable and accessible health system.

Commonwealth and State governments are now assessing the role that community pharmacists can play in improving access to health care and in reducing the impact of workforce shortages, especially in regional and rural areas.

A Community Pharmacy Scope of Practice pilot is already underway in North Queensland which will increase the services provided by pharmacists to their community. The NSW and Victorian Governments have also committed to similar pilots.

The pilot in Queensland involves:

• Medication Management: a wider range of vaccinations, medication administration, therapeutic adaptation and substitution and continued dispensing.
• Autonomous prescribing for specified acute common conditions and health and well-being such as; travel health, acute nausea and vomiting, gastro reflux and disease, smoking cessation and hormonal contraception.
• Protocol/ structured prescribing as part of chronic disease management programs.

Any changes related to pharmacists' scope of practice will have a direct impact on the work and working conditions of employee pharmacists.

It is vital the voices of pharmacists, and not just employers, are heard and considered. To gather member feedback on the proposed changes, PPA is currently conducting a short survey.

The results of the survey will assist PPA in our advocacy with governments and professional bodies in conversations that will shape future policy changes.

Take the survey


The survey must close Sunday 26th February.