FUNDING for 20,000 Federal Government-funded university places to alleviate existing skills shortages in the healthcare, education, engineering and technology sectors is being welcomed by the pharmacy sector.
Under measures announced in the Federal Budget, the Government has allocated $485.5 million over the next four years to fund additional university places.
Both Pharmacy Guild of Australia National President, Trent Twomey, and the National Australian Pharmacy Students' Association (NAPSA) President, Flynn Swift, have backed the measure.
"It is significant that a focus of the newly created university places is the health sector which has been severely affected by the workforce shortage," Twomey said.
"This is a strong initiative that will help ease some of the crisis we are seeing across a wide range of health professions, particularly pharmacy.
"There will be additional places for student pharmacists as well as more subsided places for nurses.
"This is a recognition by the Government of the severe impact the workforce shortages are having on this sector."
Swift said the decision to fund additional places in health programs was recognition of the importance of ensuring more students are able to study to join the pharmacy profession.
"The workforce shortage is a real and ongoing issue, and the only way to address it is to start acting now," he said.
"This is a very sound and proactive initiative".
The Government has yet to allocate the funding to specific programs, with universities set to participate in a competitive bidding process.
Higher education providers will also be required to allocate the new places to people from low-socio economic backgrounds, rural and remote areas, First Nations people, first in family and people with disability.
The above article was sent to subscribers in Pharmacy Daily's issue from 26 Oct 22
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