Pharmacists in Focus
April 22, 2014
Health Workforce Australia
(HWA) has released a report which
examines pharmacist training, their
various roles, issues, projects and
workforce viability in Australia and
New Zealand.
The report, titled ‘Pharmacists in
Focus’, compares the pharmacist
role to that of other registered
health care professionals.
In 2012, there were 27,025
pharmacy registrations, 22,676
(83.9%) of whom were in the
workforce and 21,331 (94.1%) of
whom were employed.
There were 2.3% more males in
pharmacy roles in 2012 than in
2011, and 4.6% more females who
comprised 58% of the total work
force.
Average age was approximately
40 years with females having a
much younger profile, implying
their future dominance of the
pharmacy role.
Average working hours were
similar for 2012 and 2011 at 38.8
hours for males and 33.7 hours for
females, the majority working 35-
39 hours per week.
Issues raised by the various peak
bodies representing pharmacies
and pharmacists highlighted
government funding policies
around medication reviews and
hospitals supplying PBS drugs.
They also emphasised the
changing role of the hospital
pharmacists from mainly a
‘supply service’ to a consultative
member of a healthcare team, as
well as the increasing numbers
of non-community pharmacists
into specialised roles with specific
subgroups in society.
In addition, a future supply
issue cited was the potential for
expanded scopes of practice,
such as those raised in the recent
Grattan Institute report, including
pharmacists as immunisers and
pharmacist repeat prescribing.
MEANWHILE following the
Pharmacy Guild of Australia’s
survey of pharmacy services,
executive director David Quilty said
that one in 10 pharmacies will be
forced to drop at least one trading
day per week.
Quilty was writing in his editorial
for forefront and summarised
some of the results including a
list of pharmacy services such as
dose administration aids, home
deliveries, after hours care and
diabetes support.
“The last thing a pharmacy wants
to do is reduce the services to its
patients, or charge more for such
crucial basic services, but they are
being left with no choice.”
Access the full Health Workforce
report by CLICKING HERE.
CLICK HERE to read Quilty’s
editorial in full.
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