THE Pharmacy Practitioner Development Committee will convene a meeting as soon as possible to "re-evaluate options on models for the recognition and credentialing of advance practice pharmacists".
The move follows the shock decision by the Australian Pharmacy Council to shut down the national credentialing program (PD yesterday), just weeks after opening applications for the second round of the scheme (PD 06 Sep).
The PPDC, formerly known as the Advanced Pharmacy Practice Framework Steering Committee, developed an advanced practice recognition model for Australian pharmacists in 2013, and in the process endorsed the Australian Pharmacy Council as the independent credentialing body.
However yesterday the Council confirmed it was ending the scheme because insufficient enrolment numbers meant it was not sustainable in the long term.
PPDC chair Shane Jackson said he would be encouraging all of the group's 11 member organisations to be actively involved in the next phase of advance practice recognition.
MEANWHILE the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia reiterated its support for Advance Practice Pharmacists, with PSA national vice president Michelle Lynch saying it was "disappointing to see formal recognition of advanced practice put on hold".
She said PSA would continue to recognise credentialed members by offering them the the opportunity to become Fellows of the PSA and use the post-nominals (FPS).
"PSA will be actively involved in working with the pharmacy profession to ensure the sustainability of the credentialing process for Advance Practice Pharmacists," Lynch said.
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