Wed 7 May 2025
Focus on primary care as AdPha pharmacy programs consultation continues
Second Voices in Agreement session held today as collaborative recommendations take shape
Advanced Pharmacy Australia (AdPha) today discussed preliminary recommendation themes as the Voices in Agreement series turned attention to primary care, as part of its co-governance role toward a new pharmacy programs agreement which complements last year’s 8th Community Pharmacy Agreement (8CPA).
Held today, the 'Primary Care in Practice’ consultation brought together voices from medical, nursing, indigenous, rural and consumer stakeholder groups, including representatives from the Australian Medical Association (AMA), the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP), National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO), the National Rural Health Alliance and the Consumers Health Forum of Australia.
AdPha President Tom Simpson FANZCAP (Lead&Mgmt) says the collaborative consultation series is reinforcing that, while these programs are highly valued, each can be improved.
‘To ensure greater accessibility, safety and efficacy of our pharmacy programs, we need greater integration of specialty pharmacists and broader GP-pharmacist collaboration, continuity of care embedded in program design and expanded referral and escalation pathways.
‘In addition, we are seeing alignment on defining the health outcomes of programs, more innovative placed-based funding solutions, cross-checking medication-related hospitalisation data and the application of Indigenous data governance principles.’
Mr Simpson says while the early shopping list is long, the diverse expertise providing input as part of the governance process will ensure stronger pharmacy programs.
‘There is much to be done, but these conversations are not new and many ideas are piloted or proven in other professions, or in pharmacy practice overseas.
‘We take our leadership role in this process very seriously and look forward to the completion of the Voices in Agreement series, and ensuring pharmacy programs provide consistent, evidence-based, interdisciplinary care that wraps around the individual.
‘This is what drives AdPha, and drives the passion and commitment of each of our members, toward maximising health outcomes and keeping more people well and out of hospital.’