Tue 8 July 2025
AdPha welcomes SA’s first standalone allied health agreement
The four-year agreement is a significant step forward but warns more needed to futureproof pharmacy workforce.
Advanced Pharmacy Australia (AdPha) has welcomed South Australia’s landmark four-year enterprise agreement for allied health professionals — the first of its kind in the state — as a long-overdue step in recognising the critical role pharmacists play in providing safe and quality pharmacy care.
The new agreement delivers a AdPha President Tom Simpson FANZCAP (Lead&Mgmt) said the agreement was a strong foundation and welcomed the inclusion of professional development and specialisation.13.5% wage increase, improved parental leave, and new professional development allowances, benefitting more than 8,000 workers, including hospital pharmacists.
‘This is a long-overdue movement for pharmacists in South Australia — professionals who are central to safer, smarter, and more effective healthcare.
‘For too long, SA was the only state where allied health professionals didn’t have a dedicated agreement. That changes today, and it’s a significant step forward.
‘It's promising to see recognition of career development and specialisation embedded in the agreement but disappointing it does not flow into all allied health areas including pharmacy roles.
‘The Australia and New Zealand College of Advanced Pharmacy (ANZCAP) already supports over 2,000 pharmacists and technicians in formalising and showcasing their advanced skills. We urge South Australia’s pharmacy workforce to take full advantage of ANZCAP’s national recognition pathways to enhance career progression under this established framework.'
Mr Simpson also warned the agreement misses a key element of safe and sustainable care — minimum pharmacist-to-patient ratios.
‘While this new agreement reflects the expertise and value pharmacists bring to the health system, more must be done to ensure safe staffing levels, workforce sustainability, and retention.
‘AdPha has proudly partnered with SA Pharmacy since 2017 to deliver Residency and Registrar Training Programs — with more than 70 pharmacists completing or undertaking these intensive two-year pathways.
‘This partnership is helping build the next generation of expert pharmacists in South Australia, strengthening workforce development, driving recruitment and retention, and delivering better care for patients.
‘However, if we’re serious about embedding innovations like Partnered Pharmacist Medication Prescribing and delivering high-quality care, then pharmacist-to-patient ratios drawn from the Advanced Pharmacy Australian Clinical Pharmacy Standards, must be built into the agreement — as they are in Victoria.
‘This agreement recognises the professionals we have — but we need to plan for the workforce we need to deliver for South Australians into the future.'