Thu 26 June 2025
Hospital pharmacists and technicians key to delivering on QLD's health ambitions
Advanced Pharmacy Australia (AdPha) has welcomed the Crisafulli Government’s record $33.1 billion investment in health as part of its 2025-26 QLD Budget, and its bold target to cut ambulance ramping below 30% by October 2028.
AdPha President Tom Simpson FANZCAP (Lead&Mgmt) says Queensland’s hospital pharmacy workforce are ready to help drive the ambitious health reform agenda—provided they are adequately supported.
‘This is the most significant investment in Queensland’s health system in decades, and it’s encouraging to see more hospital beds and health workers included.
'But to meet these goals, pharmacy must not be overlooked. Pharmacists and technicians are pivotal to delivering safer, more efficient care.
'Pharmacy technicians can directly alleviate pressure on medical and nursing staff through improved inpatient medication systems, allowing nurses to spend more time at the bedside.
'When technicians work to their full scope, the entire hospital system benefits—from better patient flow to reduced medication errors. Their role is vital in tackling workforce shortages head-on.’
Mr Simpson also pointed to the critical role pharmacists play in emergency departments and acute care settings.
'Pharmacists in Emergency Medicine, Critical Care, and Mental Health are already improving bed flow and reducing patient length of stay. Their impact on the ramping crisis is real and measurable.
'Programs like Collaborative Pharmacist Medication Prescribing (CPMP) not only free up time for doctors and nurses — they’ve been shown to be ten times safer for patients.
‘We commend the Queensland Government for greenlighting the CPMP service, which AdPha worked with the Chief Allied Health Officer and Queensland Directors of Pharmacy to progress, with regulatory amendments made to enable this earlier in the year.
‘We look forward to it achieving safety, quality and capacity in Queensland’s healthcare system.’
Mr Simpson says expansion of Pharmacy Resident and Registrar Training Programs will underpin clinical capability and grow workforce capacity in priority areas.
‘A quarter of all pharmacist Registrars in Queensland are specialising in Emergency and Critical Care—exactly where pressure is greatest.
‘Expanding these pathways is essential to building a workforce that can meet Queensland’s evolving healthcare needs.
‘We reiterate our call for increased investment in funded intern positions and clinical educator roles, as outlined in the Queensland Health Pharmacy Workforce Plan 2022–2032.
‘The expertise of the hospital pharmacy workforce must be part of the solution. Pharmacists are ready to do more—what’s needed now is the funding to match their capability.’