Wed 23 July 2025

AdPha Champions Pharmacy Workforce Needs in Queensland and the NT

Over the past week, AdPha has continued its member-led advocacy with high level meetings with Ministers for Health in Queensland and the Northern Territory.

AdPha Chief Executive Kristin Michaels FAICD, AdPha President Tom Simpson FANZCAP (Lead&Mgmt) and Jerry Yik FANZCAP (Lead&Mgmt, PublicHlth), Head of Policy and Advocacy, were supported by QLD Board Director Paul Firman FANZCAP (Generalist), QLD Branch Committee Chair, Kate Bennett FANZCAP (CritCare, Lead&Mgmt) and QLD Directors of Pharmacy Senior Assembly Chair, Mitchell Rigby FANZCAP (MedsMgmt, RuralHlth) in meeting with Minister Nicholls. AdPha's support for the Queensland Budget and its ongoing work for Queensland's Collaborative Pharmacist Medication Prescribing  (CPMP) project was acknowledged, particularly the benefits that will come to address hospital capacity and bed flow.

To enable this and ensure meaningful uptake, we discussed the need for workforce investment, particularly at the intern level, to support pharmacy department's capacity to deliver on innovations, while keeping pace with Queensland's hospitals build and expansion. We look forward to continuing our engagement with Queensland Health and the Minister's office on forthcoming workforce planning activities.

In the Northern Territory, Kristin was supported by SA/NT Branch Committee Co-Chair, Emma Sykes (ANZCAP-Res.) and Jo Wallace (SA/NT member) in their meeting with Minister Edgington to discuss the immediate need to address workforce retention and recruitment issues, with vacancy rates in NT pharmacy departments consistently higher than the national average. It was acknowledged the unique recruitment and retention challenges faced by NT, including attracting senior governance pharmacist roles, which required the NT government's support to offer these roles remotely to ensure NT patients were able to benefit from comprehensive pharmacy services that support safe and quality medicines use. 

We look forward to continuing our advocacy efforts on issues that matter to our members, and thanks once again to our superstar AdPha members for representing their peers!

Pictured L - R: Qld Branch Chair Kate Bennett FANZCAP (CritCare, Lead&Mgmt),  AdPha Chief Executive Kristin Michaels FAICD, AdPha President Tom Simpson FANZCAP (Lead&Mgmt), Minister Nicholls, Paul Firman FANZCAP (Generalist) and Mitchell Rigby FANZCAP (MedsMgmt, RuralHlth).