AHEAD of the closure of the Australian Association of Consultant Pharmacy (AACP) on 31 Dec, the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) has launched its Accreditation Credentialling Program for Comprehensive Medication Management Reviews (MMRs).
PSA National President, Dr Fei Sim, said the organisation was the "natural home" for accredited pharmacists.
"We are incredibly proud to offer a complete package of high-quality learning, training and ongoing career support for accredited pharmacists and those looking to become accredited," Dr Sim said.
"PSA's Accreditation Credentialling Program will give pharmacists the knowledge, communication skills, and counselling to provide high quality, complex medication review services through collaborative care models with other health care providers.
"Accreditation provides opportunity for career pathways and progression, a key pillar of the PSA's ongoing advocacy for roles, remuneration and recognition of pharmacists.
"PSA, as a co-founder of AACP, has supported accreditation in the Australian healthcare system for over 20 years.
"As an organisation we have a long history of advocating for accredited pharmacists, from introducing RMMRs, introduced under the Second Community Pharmacy Agreement, to expanding roles for accredited pharmacists in GP clinics.
"We are very proud of how far accredited pharmacists have come, but we are now focused on how we can continue improving and growing this workforce.
"It is vital that accredited pharmacists are fairly remunerated and able to earn a full-time salary from their qualifications.
"PSA will continue advocating for the removal of the cap on HMRs and RMMRs, and for onsite accredited pharmacist roles in aged care, general practice, and disability care. We are focused on advocating for pharmacists to be able to prescribe, deprescribe, administer and review medicines, regardless of location.
"We have a strong vision for the future of accreditation and want to see accreditation become another major career pathway for pharmacists."
Sim added that accreditation provided the infrastructure for the expansion of the profession's scope of practice.
The above article was sent to subscribers in Pharmacy Daily's issue from 08 Dec 22
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