Advanced Pharmacy Australia (AdPha) is calling on important reforms to improve patient access to medicines and expand pharmacists’ role in primary care.
As part of its 2025-26 Federal Pre-Budget Submission, AdPha has proposed:
- A dedicated Medicine Shortages and Discontinuation Clinical Advice Service.
- Bilateral Pharmaceutical Reform Agreements (PRAs) with NSW and ACT for equitable medicine access.
- A Partnered Pharmacist Medication Prescribing (PPMP) collaborative care model pilot in aged care and general practice.
The submission includes 9 recommendations focused on scope of practice, workforce sustainability and medicine access.
It presents a cost-effective strategy to enhance Australia’s healthcare system.
AdPha is urging the government to remove barriers to full scope of practice and expand the PPMP model, which has already proven successful in hospitals.
The proposed expansion would integrate pharmacist prescribing into aged care and general practice settings, while also allowing pharmacists to prescribe medicines under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) within collaborative care models.
‘Pharmacist prescribing a natural extension of collaborative care’
AdPha President Tom Simpson FANZCAP (Lead&Mgmt) says these initiatives would improve patient outcomes, optimise the skills of the primary care workforce and reduce costs.
“PPMP improves timelines, safety and quality of medicines management for patients, while at the same time supporting capacity for doctors and nurses,” he says.
“Pharmacist prescribing is a natural extension of collaborative care models further facilitating safe and timely access to subsidised medicines.
“AdPha has long championed PPMP as a proven model that reduces medication errors and patient length of stay.
“As it expands beyond hospital walls, its positive impact will only continue to grow.
“This recommendation is the essence of advanced pharmacy — taking the evidence-based approach of hospital pharmacy into all areas where medicines are needed to improve the health outcomes of patients everywhere.”
Harnessing underutilised skills of pharmacy technicians
AdPha is also calling for funding to harness the underutilised skills of pharmacy technicians as one of several recommendations to build a stronger and more sustainable pharmacy workforce.
“AdPha urges a growth environment for technicians who are integral to interdisciplinary care teams,” says Mr Simpson.
“We have recently developed the first Australasian Competency Standards Framework for Technicians working in hospitals and health systems, in order to provide a standardised approach for these crucial health professionals.
“As part of our submission, we are calling on the government to fund technician sector-specific training and resources to ensure this vital area of our workforce is recognised and supported to practice to their full scope, consistently, appropriately and safely.”
‘Nationally-consistent approach to the PBS long overdue’
With medicines access and shortages ongoing areas of concern, AdPha is also calling on the government to establish agreements with NSW and the ACT to achieve timely and equitable access to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).
AdPha is also calling for a Medicine Shortages and Discontinuations Clinical Advice Service to equip healthcare practitioners with real-time updates, expert guidance, and evidence-based solutions.
Mr Simpson says a nationally-consistent approach to the PBSÂ is long overdue while a medicines shortages service will help reduce unnecessary strain placed on already overstretched emergency services and hospital resources.
“For years now, AdPha has been advocating that the Commonwealth extends the same access to the PBS to patients of hospitals in NSW and the ACT as patients in every other Australian jurisdiction,” he says.
“Prioritising this initiative will help safeguard the quality of healthcare delivery, reduce distress for both patients and practitioners, and create a more equitable and efficient healthcare system for all Australians.”
For more information, visit: AdPha 2025-26 Federal Pre-Budget Submission.
