Fri 20 June 2025
AdPha welcomes WA health boost with pharmacists key to reforms
Pharmacists and technicians are essential to multidisciplinary care teams, tackling ramping crisis and supporting digital health transformation.
Advanced Pharmacy Australia (AdPha) has welcomed the Cook Government’s $829 million boost to public hospital funding, as part of the record $1.4 billion health investment in the 2025–26 WA Budget—but warns that infrastructure alone isn’t enough.
AdPha President Tom Simpson FANZCAP (Lead&Mgmt) says the Government’s additional $3.2 billion in health infrastructure over four years must be matched with workforce investment if real improvements in care are to be delivered.
‘More hospital beds are only effective if there are enough people to staff them. Without more doctors, nurses and pharmacists, we risk stretching the system even further.
‘Every Western Australian should have access to a full multidisciplinary team—not just more space. We can’t separate beds from the people who make them matter.’
AdPha also welcomed the Budget’s $1.3 million for the Enhanced Access Community Pharmacy Pilot but says public hospitals must now catch up—especially in rolling out collaborative prescribing models like Pharmacist Partnered Medication Prescribing (PPMP).
‘The evidence is clear—PPMP improves safety, reduces hospital stays, and frees up time for doctors and nurses. It’s ten times safer for patients and cuts length of stay by 10%.
‘If the Government is serious about reducing ramping and boosting system efficiency, a statewide rollout of PPMP must be part of the strategy. It’s cost-effective, scalable, and already proven.
‘We look forward to continuing discussions with the WA Department of Health, the Chief Allied Health Officer and the WA Chief Pharmacists Forum to progress this initiative which will help transform healthcare for Western Australians.’
Mr Simpson also welcomes the $75 million committed to the Stage 1 rollout of the Electronic Medical Record (EMR) program, warning that its success hinges on the early involvement of pharmacists.
‘Digital transformation is only as strong as its foundation. If pharmacists aren’t at the table from day one, we risk building a system that doesn’t work for medicines—the most used healthcare intervention.
‘Pharmacy informatics expertise ensures EMRs are safe, interoperable and clinically usable, especially when it comes to medicines management. We have already seen fatal issues in other jurisdictions and internationally stemming from medication-related EMR issues. WA must fund dedicated pharmacy informatics teams, like other jurisdictions have successfully done.’
Mr Simpson said AdPha members were already contributing to key national digital health reforms and stand ready to support WA’s EMR implementation.
‘Our pharmacist members sit on national advisory groups for the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, the Australian Digital Health Agency, and the Australian Commission for Safety and Quality in Health Care across various digital health initiatives including Electronic Prescribing (EP), electronic National Residential Medication Charts (eNRMC), WA can—and should—tap into this experience.
‘Hospital pharmacists stand ready to partner with the WA Government to build a digital system that delivers safer, smarter, and more connected care for all Western Australians.’