Advanced Pharmacy Australia (AdPha) welcomes the Albanese Labor Government’s $573.3 million funding package to provide women with more choice, lower costs and better health care.

Announced on 9 February, the new package of measures incorporates key recommendations from AdPha, shaped by the expertise and insights of its members.

AdPha President Tom Simpson praised the government for listening to patients and health care stakeholders, including the valuable contributions of AdPha Women’s and Newborn Health Specialty Practice members, to take action on expanding care and access in women’s health.

“AdPha members welcome these long-awaited measures, which will help remove barriers that have prevented women from accessing affordable health care for too long,” Mr Simpson said.

“We have strongly advocated for a comprehensive approach to managing perimenopausal and menopausal symptoms – focusing on awareness, education, and access to affordable, evidence-based treatments.

“We are pleased to see many of our recommendations, put forward during the Senate Inquiry and through our submission, reflected in this new package of measures,” he said.

“A/Prof McGuire from our Women’s and Newborn Health Committee specifically mentioned in her evidence that it had been over 20 years since any new medicines for menopause had been listed on the PBS, and these new listings will ensure that menopause hormonal therapies remain both affordable and accessible,” Mr Simpson said.

“Currently, over 85% of women experiencing bothersome symptoms of menopause or perimenopause are not receiving evidence-based care, despite the availability of both hormonal and non-hormonal therapies. With treatment options declining in recent years, we hope these reforms will reverse that trend.

“It is also great to see new contraceptives listed on the PBS for the first time in over 30 years, reflecting and subsidising contemporary treatment options that are used by many Australian women,” he said.

“We thank the government for prioritising women’s health and recognising the invaluable role of pharmacists in advocating for and supporting women’s health care needs.

“As this expands to including the provision of contraceptives and anti-microbials for uncomplicated UTIs at PBS co-payment prices for concession card holders by pharmacists – in direct support of our first recommendation of our Federal Budget submission – we look forward to enhanced multidisciplinary collaboration between doctors and pharmacists as we achieve patient-centred care,” Mr Simpson said.

“As medicines experts across all stages of reproductive health – from pregnancy, labour, and lactation to menopause and beyond – pharmacists are well-positioned to support women through these changes. With these new measures, we can play an even greater role in ensuring women receive safe, appropriate, and efficient care.”

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As part of its 2025-26 Federal Pre-Budget Submission, AdPha has proposed:

• A dedicated Medicine Shortages and Discontinuation Clinical Advice Service.
• Bilateral Pharmaceutical Reform Agreements (PRAs) with NSW and ACT for equitable medicine access.
• A Partnered Pharmacist Medication Prescribing (PPMP) collaborative care model pilot in aged care and general practice.

The submission includes 9 recommendations focused on scope of practice, workforce sustainability and medicine access.

It presents a cost-effective strategy to enhance Australia’s healthcare system.

AdPha is urging the government to remove barriers to full scope of practice and expand the PPMP model, which has already proven successful in hospitals.

The proposed expansion would integrate pharmacist prescribing into aged care and general practice settings, while also allowing pharmacists to prescribe medicines under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) within collaborative care models.

‘Pharmacist prescribing a natural extension of collaborative care’

AdPha President Tom Simpson FANZCAP (Lead&Mgmt) says these initiatives would improve patient outcomes, optimise the skills of the primary care workforce and reduce costs.

“PPMP improves timelines, safety and quality of medicines management for patients, while at the same time supporting capacity for doctors and nurses,” he says.

“Pharmacist prescribing is a natural extension of collaborative care models further facilitating safe and timely access to subsidised medicines.

“AdPha has long championed PPMP as a proven model that reduces medication errors and patient length of stay.

“As it expands beyond hospital walls, its positive impact will only continue to grow.

“This recommendation is the essence of advanced pharmacy — taking the evidence-based approach of hospital pharmacy into all areas where medicines are needed to improve the health outcomes of patients everywhere.”

Harnessing underutilised skills of pharmacy technicians

AdPha is also calling for funding to harness the underutilised skills of pharmacy technicians as one of several recommendations to build a stronger and more sustainable pharmacy workforce.

“AdPha urges a growth environment for technicians who are integral to interdisciplinary care teams,” says Mr Simpson.

“We have recently developed the first Australasian Competency Standards Framework for Technicians working in hospitals and health systems, in order to provide a standardised approach for these crucial health professionals.

“As part of our submission, we are calling on the government to fund technician sector-specific training and resources to ensure this vital area of our workforce is recognised and supported to practice to their full scope, consistently, appropriately and safely.”

‘Nationally-consistent approach to the PBS long overdue’

With medicines access and shortages ongoing areas of concern, AdPha is also calling on the government to establish agreements with NSW and the ACT to achieve timely and equitable access to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).

AdPha is also calling for a Medicine Shortages and Discontinuations Clinical Advice Service to equip healthcare practitioners with real-time updates, expert guidance, and evidence-based solutions.

Mr Simpson says a nationally-consistent approach to the PBS is long overdue while a medicines shortages service will help reduce unnecessary strain placed on already overstretched emergency services and hospital resources.

“For years now, AdPha has been advocating that the Commonwealth extends the same access to the PBS to patients of hospitals in NSW and the ACT as patients in every other Australian jurisdiction,” he says.

“Prioritising this initiative will help safeguard the quality of healthcare delivery, reduce distress for both patients and practitioners, and create a more equitable and efficient healthcare system for all Australians.”

For more information, visit: AdPha 2025-26 Federal Pre-Budget Submission.

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‘The new Aged Care Act is a starting point for more enhanced collaborative care
across all sectors of health care.

‘For years our members have been advocating for funding to ensure systems are
better integrated throughout the entire care continuum.

‘The passing of these reforms means significant technology and platform maintenance
and enhancements will now be funded to ensure critical aged care digital systems
remain contemporary and comply with legislation.

‘Having been involved in the development of the electronic National Residential
Medication Chart as well as many other digital health and electronic chart initiatives,
our members know first-hand the positive impact improved systems will have on older
Australians and their carers.

‘Transitions of care is an important and vulnerable point of the care journey and, when
done poorly, can result in avoidable harm or re-admission to hospital.

‘For over 30 years, our members have been involved in multidisciplinary geriatric in-
reach and outreach programs to support safe transitions of care for older Australians.
‘Under the new Aged Care Act, our members can ensure the care services they provide
are more collaborative and integrated.

‘Better integration of clinical systems across primary, acute and transitions of care will
improve the quality and safety of care provided to more older Australians.’

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AdPha President Tom Simpson says the foundational document, developed incollaboration with the New Zealand Hospital Pharmacy Association (NZHPA), is the first major step in formally recognising the integral role pharmacy technicians play in supporting patient care.

‘Pharmacy technicians working across all areas of practice are highly skilled and essential members of pharmacy and multidisciplinary teams.

‘Their duties can vary from preparing and dispensing mediations, compounding medications, clinical ward-based roles taking medication histories from patients, inventory management, record keeping, ensuring regulatory compliance and ultimately supporting pharmacists to improve efficiencies for the delivery of safer patient care.

‘This is why they are our “partners in patient care” and we’re proud to announce this latest investment in the profession, following the addition of an elected Technician Member to the AdPha Board of Directors as part of our Transformation 2024 agenda.

‘This vital area of the pharmacy workforce plays a critical role in supporting patient safety and should, like all pharmacy professionals, have competency standards that reflect their area of practice.

‘As our profession continues to evolve, so too does the role of pharmacy technicians and we are proud to make this first leap into ensuring technicians are recognised and supported to practice consistently, appropriately and safely.’

Mr Simpson says as part of celebrations marking the incredible work the more than 40,000 pharmacy technicians and assistants across the country do every day, AdPha will also be offering 50 per cent off annual Technician Membership fees until 31 October 2024.

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Toni Howell FANZCAP (Lead and Management, MedSafety), AdPha Medication Safety Leadership Committee Chair, says the series begins by discussing collaboration with consumers.

“World Patient Safety Day prompts us to stop and consider the purpose of everything we do, how much risk is involved, and how important it is to keep striving for excellence.

“It also reminds us that no matter how earnest and dedicated we are, we can’t fix medication safety on our own!”

“This series celebrates the relationships that strengthen and enhance medication safety across Australia.

“Engaging with consumers about medication safety keeps us all on our toes, in the best possible way. There are enormous benefits in this collaboration; co-design and genuine partnering to improve medication safety, and this relies on open and honest engagement.”

“A goal of our series is to give different perspectives on the same theme: the joys and Advanced Pharmacy Australia benefits of working together to achieve great things!”

AdPha President Tom Simpson says collaboration is at the heart of innovations in practice that are the hallmark of advanced pharmacy.

“Hospital pharmacists can help alleviate pressures on our medical colleagues, reduce length of hospital admissions and improve patient safety through collaborative models of care like Partnered Pharmacist Medication Charting (PPMC), while pharmacy technicians can help pharmacists and nursing staff spend more of their time delivering direct patient care through expanded clinical support roles.”

“Released last week, Pharmacy Forecast Australia 2024 provides new insight into how empowering pharmacist-led innovation can improve patient outcomes and closegaps in care continuity while improving the efficiency of the health system.”

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