Owners must be registered
June 18, 2010
THE new national Pharmacy
Board of Australia has confirmed
that under its new registration
standards, “prima facie, a
pharmacist who owns a pharmacy
is practising pharmacy”.
According to the minutes of the
Board’s last meeting on 28th May,
issues considered included
ownership of pharmacy businesses
which will continue to be regulated
on a state and territory basis after
the new national registration
scheme takes effect from 01 Jul.
Despite this, the Board said it
looked at possible pharmacy
ownership arrangements by
registered pharmacists “and how
this would impact on the public in
terms of the delivery of pharmacy
services”.
Because ownership of a
pharmacy business is a role that
impacts on safe, effective delivery
of services in the profession and
involves use of professional skills,
the Board said that from 01 July
“proprietor pharmacists will be
required to maintain general
registration, as the National Law
stipulates that pharmacists holding
non-practising registration must not
practise pharmacy”.
This means proprietors will need
to meet the requirements for
professional indemnity insurance,
recency of practice and continuing
professional development.
The minutes include a broad
definition of practice adopted by
the Board, including “any role
whether remunerated or not in
which the individual uses their skills
and knowledge as a pharmacist” -
including in management,
administration, education, research,
advisory, regulatory or policy
development roles.
The Board also confirmed that
following a “valuable consultation
process” it’s finalising guidelines on
advertising and mandatory
notification, as well as its continuing
professional development policy
and a code of conduct for
pharmacists, all of which will be
published on its website this month.
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