Review of Community Pharmacy Qualifications

Background

Community pharmacy is a key part of the retail industry, employing around 42,000 people across Australia (4.9% of the retail workforce). Since the release of the current SIR Retail Services Training Package in 2016, the sector has undergone significant change. COVID-19 accelerated shifts in customer expectations and highlighted workforce issues such as high staff turnover and increased casualisation. 

Policy reforms in several states have expanded the scope of service responsibility for Pharmacists and their teams. Community pharmacies now support a wider range of clinical services, including: 

• Providing advice on and access to oral contraceptives 
• Diagnosis and treatment of common conditions such as UTIs, shingles and psoriasis 
• Post-hospital medicine reviews 
• Providing advice on and dispensing supply of 12 -month prescriptions without requiring a new script from a General Practitioner 

There is growing demand for pharmacy workers to support areas like sleep health, chronic disease management and cardiovascular care. Training also needs to reflect the distinct health needs of regional, remote and culturally diverse communities. Stakeholders have flagged increasing workplace aggression as a concern, calling for better training in managing conflict.