A NEW national training program has been developed by the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) to provide pharmacists with the knowledge, skills and compassion they need to support people receiving palliative and end-of-life care.
The ASPIRE Palliative Care Foundation Training Program for Pharmacists is a free, CPD-accredited course for pharmacists working in all areas of practice, and was launched yesterday to mark National Palliative Care Week (11-17 May 2025).
Pharmacists are often the first point of contact for those managing end-of-life care at home, and the program provides pharmacists with foundational training to help them better support patients, families and carers through the safe and quality use of medicines in palliative care.
PSA National President Associate Professor Fei Sim said the program recognises the growing and evolving role of pharmacists in caring for people at the end of life.
"Every day, pharmacists support patients living with life-limiting illness but our impact can be even broader, with opportunities for us to have a significant positive impact on quality of life, not only for people with palliative care needs, but also for the people who care for them," A/Prof Sim said.
The course is not designed to prepare pharmacists to specialise in palliative care, she explained, but rather to strengthen the capacity of pharmacists across the country to help make a real difference in the quality of care people receive at the end of their life.
"From knowledge about palliative care medicines and symptom management to developing grief and bereavement support skills, this training gives us the confidence to provide safe, compassionate, and practical support when it's needed most," she concluded.
Camilla Rowland, CEO of Palliative Care Australia, said a foundational understanding of palliative and end-of-life care across the health workforce is essential to meeting community needs, and encouraged pharmacists to take up the opportunity to learn more about palliative care and the role pharmacists can play.
The training is available now to all registered pharmacists, intern pharmacists, and pharmacy students across Australia. KB
For more info click HERE.
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