Pharmacy Daily | ACP on ‘power skills’ needed for scope

LAST night's Australasian College of Pharmacy (ACP) webinar highlighted the rapid expansion of pharmacist services across Australia, with new full scope of practice pilots in Queensland, Northern Territory, New South Wales, and Western Australia.

Suzanna Nash, Chief Pharmacist at ACP, explained how these pilots allow pharmacists to manage oral contraceptive resupply, uncomplicated cystitis, and minor skin conditions, while emphasising the need to adhere to local clinical protocols for safe and effective care in each state.

Natalie French, a full-scope trained pharmacist and Head of Professional Services at Chempro Chemist, spoke of the importance of soft skills, which she called "power skills" in delivering these services.

She discussed the need for talking thorough patient histories, setting clear agendas during consultations, with shared decision-making and informed consent to ensure patient-centred care.

While award winning full-scope pharmacist, Therese Lambert, from TerryWhite Chemmart Sarina, Queensland, involved in the state pilot, offered practical advice on integrating these expanded full scope services.

She stressed the importance of charging for consultations to reflect pharmacists' expertise as "we often do many things for free", upgrading premises for private consultations, and training staff to support clinical checks.

Lambert recommended setting up booking systems to manage patient flow, particularly for non-urgent cases, while accommodating walk-ins for urgent needs.

She also highlighted the value of using pharmacy staff to assist with initial consultations and administrative tasks, easing the burden on pharmacists.

Lambert suggested pharmacists take part in the full scope of practice pilots and plan their continuing professional development around areas like skin conditions, contraceptive resupply, and cystitis management.

French and Lambert also underscored the need for communicating effectively with the broader healthcare team and documenting all treatment decisions clearly for medical-legal safety, something they noted wasn't done well in the past.

The webinar concluded with a call for pharmacists to embrace these expanded roles, upskill their teams, and ensure their pharmacies are equipped to meet the growing demand for pharmacist-led clinical services. JG