THE NSW Government has fallen short in its 2025-26 Budget, the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) has told Pharmacy Daily.
In its pre-budget submission, the industry body called for more funding in several areas, including pharmacist training for expanded services, opioid harm reduction initiatives, and community pharmacy consultations for non-urgent conditions.
However, these recommendations were not reflected in the NSW Budget, which details no new pharmacy-specific funding measures or policy changes.
"Our focus continues to be on measures that better utilise pharmacists to improve patient access to timely care," PSA NSW President Luke Kelly (pictured) told Pharmacy Daily.
"This budget was an opportunity for the NSW Government to invest in the pharmacy profession as we continue to step up for our communities, to help fund full scope training opportunities, support our role in harm minimisation, and promote community pharmacies as health hubs for patients with non-urgent conditions.
"With more states and territories championing the role of pharmacists, NSW should be leading the country, not falling behind," he emphasised.
Kelly said the PSA will continue lobbying the NSW Government to further support pharmacists.
"Our advocacy on these issues is not over as we continue calling for meaningful reform on issues affecting pharmacists," he added.
Advanced Pharmacy Australia (AdPha) has also expressed disappointment in the NSW Budget, warning that without targeted funding for the hospital pharmacy workforce, key reforms to improve patient care risk stalling.
While the peak body welcomed the $9.5 million commitment to establish an internal health locum agency to address workforce retention and coordination, AdPha President Tom Simpson FANZCAP (Lead&Mgmt) cautioned that lasting positive change depends on addressing deeper systemic issues.
"The hospital pharmacy workforce in NSW has been chronically underfunded for too long - especially in regional areas where shortages are acute," Simpson explained.
"Resident and registrar pharmacist training must form a core part of any NSW workforce investment strategy."
He pointed out that only 5% of pharmacy residencies delivered nationally were based in NSW, despite the state being home to 16% of Australia's accredited training sites.
"This is a missed opportunity to leverage an evidence-based workforce initiative that directly supports hospital pharmacist development and retention," Simpson added.
AdPha has also urged the ACT Government to focus on strengthening the hospital pharmacy workforce, while welcoming the record $1.19 billion health investment set out in its 2025-26 Budget, which includes a $23 million boost towards enhancing patient flow across the hospital system. JM
The above article was sent to subscribers in Pharmacy Daily's issue from 26 Jun 25
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