It was a significant week for Australian pharmacy, with major developments in quality standards, patient care services, medicine supply, PBS access, vaccination awareness and retail pharmacy operations. Key themes included the launch of the new Quality & Safety Pharmacy Program (QSPP), workforce pressures affecting expanded scope services, product recalls, medicine shortages and opportunities for pharmacists to strengthen preventative healthcare conversations.
💉 Pharmacists urged to discuss shingles
New research commissioned by GSK Australia found that 92% of Australians aged 50-69 do not consider discussing shingles with a healthcare professional a priority, despite understanding the condition can significantly impact their health. The findings highlight an important opportunity for community pharmacists to initiate conversations around vaccination and prevention.
Learn how pharmacists can drive better awareness and prevention outcomes.
🏥 A new era of accreditation begins
The new Quality & Safety Pharmacy Program (QSPP) officially commenced on 1 October and has been described as the most significant change to community pharmacy standards in almost three decades. The framework aims to strengthen safety, quality and continuous improvement across Australian pharmacies.
Explore how the PBS listing may benefit patients and prescribers.
👩⚕️ Workforce pressures emerge in UTI pilot review
An evaluation of Tasmania’s community pharmacy UTI pilot found strong patient satisfaction and positive health outcomes. However, pharmacists identified workforce capacity and staffing challenges as key barriers to sustainable service delivery.
See what the findings reveal about expanding pharmacy services
