DEMAND for pharmacists' skills is set to grow in the coming years with hospital, retail and industrial pharmacist roles all featuring on the Commonwealth Government's Skills Priority List (SPL).
The SPL compiled by the National Skills Commission noted that the ACT was the only Australian jurisdiction where there currently isn't a shortage of hospital and retail pharmacists, with both roles listed as having a "national shortage with strong future demand."
The list, published in late Jun recorded shortages of hospital and retail pharmacists in regional parts of NSW, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania and Western Australia, with the Northern Territory having a shortage across regional and metropolitan areas.
The SPL also reported general shortages of pharmacy technicians in NSW and the NT, with no existing national shortage, however, it noted that there was likely to be an increased need for workers in the future.
While the National Skills Commision found there were no current shortages of industrial pharmacists, pharmacy assistants or medical/pharmaceutical sales representatives, it forecast that there will be strong future demand for workers with those skillsets.
While pharmacy workers are set to be in "strong" demand in the coming years, the SPL assessed the need for GPs and general surgeons as "moderate", despite reporting shortages of health professionals in regional areas in all six states, while the NT has a shortage across all areas, and the ACT has an adequate supply of medical professionals.
Other in-demand health professions include optometrists and orthoptists, which are experiencing similar regional shortages as the hospital and retail pharmacy sectors.
The above article was sent to subscribers in Pharmacy Daily's issue from 13 Jul 21
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