Wed 6 May 2026
AdPha welcomes Victorian budget focus on mental health and access to care
Advanced Pharmacy Australia (AdPha) has welcomed the Victorian Government’s 2026–27 Budget, highlighting its strong focus on mental health, expanded access to care and initiatives aimed at easing pressure on the broader health system.
AdPha President Assoc. Prof. Tom Simpson FANZCAP (Lead&Mgmt) said the combined investment in mental health services and more accessible frontline care is a positive step toward a more sustainable, patient-centred health system.
‘We commend the Victorian Government for prioritising both mental health and access to free, timely care - two of the most pressing challenges facing our health system.
‘Initiatives that support care in the community and reduce pressure on hospitals are essential to ensuring patients receive the right care, at the right time, in the right place.
‘Pharmacists are central to this solution and can play a much greater role across both mental health and broader frontline care.’
The Budget includes a $46.8 million investment in mental health initiatives, including new and expanded mental health Hospital in the Home beds, alongside $76 million to strengthen the health workforce - 93 per cent of which is directed toward training and development for mental health professionals such as nurses, psychiatrists, psychologists and junior medical officers.
Assoc. Prof. Simpson said the focus on workforce sustainability is critical but must extend to pharmacists working across both hospital and community settings.
‘Mental health pharmacists are a vital but often overlooked part of the care team.
‘They support safe and appropriate prescribing of medicines such as antipsychotics, provide specialist advice to colleagues, and advocate for treatment options that are evidence-based and aligned with consumer preferences.
‘With more than 12 million mental health-related prescriptions dispensed in Victoria in 2023–24, medicines are central to care - yet the pharmacy workforce is not being supported to keep pace.’
AdPha data highlights a significant gap in dedicated mental health pharmacy services across Victoria’s hospital system, underscoring the need for more targeted investment.
‘Data from our 2025 Workforce Insights survey shows only 44 per cent of surveyed hospital sites in Victoria had dedicated mental health pharmacists - just 26 pharmacists across 59 hospitals.
‘At the same time, broader investments in hospitals and services will only succeed if they are matched by a workforce equipped to deliver safe, high-quality care.
‘Hospital pharmacists are a highly specialised workforce helping manage increasingly complex patients, prevent medication errors and ensure continuity of care - particularly at transitions like discharge.
’If we are serious about improving access, strengthening mental health care and reducing system pressure, we must invest in the full multidisciplinary team.
‘This includes supporting pharmacists to work at full scope, embedding them across care settings, and ensuring hospital pharmacy services grow in line with community demand.
‘This Budget is a step forward. The next step is ensuring pharmacists are fully enabled to help deliver on these priorities for all Victorians in all episodes of care.’