The Pharmacy Board of Australia has announced its decision to develop accreditation standards for pharmacist prescribing education programs.
The education programs will qualify and equip pharmacists to prescribe autonomously in accordance with any emerging authorisations set out in State and Territory medicines and poisons legislation.
The Board has asked the Australian Pharmacy Council (APC) to develop the accreditation standards, which will include wide-ranging consultation with stakeholders including the public, pharmacists, governments and other health professions.
The decision to develop accreditation standards has been welcomed by the National President of the Pharmacy Guild of Australia, Professor Trent Twomey, who says this is a very positive step in further helping to improve patient access to medicines.
“The ability to autonomously prescribe must be a core task for all pharmacists with general registration if our profession is to offer universal primary healthcare to all Australians,” says Professor Twomey.
“Autonomous pharmacist prescribing will improve access to treatment options for patients with conditions that can be managed by a pharmacist.
“This will include after hours and on weekends when access to other health care professionals is limited or non-existent.
“Patients will benefit.”
Professor Twomey says the Guild is looking forward to “working with the Board to ensure this very important development is implemented quickly and effectively”.
