The Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia (SHPA) has released a vision for the future of hospital pharmacy, in which innovative care models benefit more Australians in more places.
SHPA President Tom Simpson FANZCAP (Lead&Mgmt) says the Statement on Advanced Pharmacy is the culmination of conversations and consultations throughout the delivery of the organisation’s Transformation 2024 agenda, laying foundations that will advance the pharmacy sector to improve patient care.
‘In July we released the Advanced Pharmacy Green Paper for member and stakeholder feedback; the Statement on Advanced Pharmacy is the result, building on what is already being done today.
‘Advanced pharmacy facilitates the evidence-based pillars of hospital pharmacy – including specialty roles in collaborative, team-based care; deprescribing; and pharmacist-led stewardship programs –beyond the four walls of the hospital.
‘As our healthcare system braces to manage increased complexity of chronic comorbidities, advanced pharmacy expands the boundaries of Australian pharmacy to effect meaningful change, ensuring innovative pharmacy expertise can be fully harnessed for the benefit of patients everywhere.’
Mr Simpson says advanced pharmacy uplifts each practitioner by progressing the broader profession.
‘Hospital pharmacy has been the most rapidly growing sector in Australian pharmacy for many years, with advanced and clinical roles now deeply embedded across Australia’s acute care system. Our next phase sees these roles expanding beyond hospital walls to support the increasing complex needs of Australians, closer to home.
‘Advanced pharmacy extends new meaning to this word of historical weight in Australian pharmacy. However, while “advanced practice” describes individual progress toward significant personal impact,
“advanced pharmacy” is the ecosystem of collective innovation that drives our profession forward.
‘What does this look like in practice?
‘More collaborative prescribing models: preferred by pharmacists, embraced by our medical colleagues, increasing health system capacity and improving care outcomes across every measure.
‘More stewardship models: applying pharmacy expertise not only to individual care episodes, but in the management of medicines at a national level as we balance their benefits with their high potencies and risks.
‘Embedded in our acute hospitals, these pharmacy care models are rippling out to rural and residential aged care settings, requiring skills fostered through advanced pharmacy.’
Mr Simpson says inclusion will also be at the heart of the organisation’s next strategic plan due for release in late September.
‘Advanced pharmacy allows each practitioner to thrive – pharmacists and technicians from all career stages – by promoting a culture of collaboration, specialisation, recognition and inclusivity. It is not exclusive to leaders, or those in senior roles.
‘Advanced pharmacy is being recognised for your medicines expertise and contribution to healthcare, uniting the workforce through collaboration with all healthcare colleagues.
‘Connection is key to improving medicines safety and outcomes for patients, because it is by enhancing knowledge-sharing that we will ensure the benefits of advanced pharmacy reach every Australian.’
