Thu 25 September 2025
Investing in pharmacists is investing in Australia’s health
AdPha marks World Pharmacists Day by celebrating pharmacists’ vital role in patient care while urging action to address ongoing workforce shortages.
On FIP World Pharmacists Day, Advanced Pharmacy Australia (AdPha) celebrates the evolving role of pharmacists to ensure safe, cost-effective and accessible care while acknowledging more needs to be done to ensure sustainability of the profession.
Speaking recently at the 83rd FIP World Congress of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, AdPha President Assoc. Prof. Tom Simpson FANZCAP (Lead&Mgmt) said AdPha is committed to supporting the individual pharmacist while advancing the profession as a whole.
‘One cannot succeed without the other. Together they create a cycle of personal growth and collective community, which is essential to advance pharmacy practice and deliver on our mission.
'This is what we call “innovation for the individual”—a comprehensive ecosystem that wraps around each pharmacist while elevating the profession.
'Innovation for the individual is not just about serving pharmacists better—it is about creating a profession capable of meeting tomorrow’s healthcare challenges.’
With several states and territories grappling with critical workforce shortages, Assoc. Prof. Simpson used the occasion to reiterate AdPha’s call for sustained investment in the hospital pharmacy workforce.
‘Hospital pharmacy shortages are real—and patients will continue to suffer if governments fail to act. Every patient’s journey is safer and more efficient because of hospital pharmacists and technicians.
‘The advanced pharmacy scope of practice in acute care and adjacent settings has grown dramatically with more complex patients, new therapies and digital health systems.
‘Workforce agreements must reflect this reality by ensuring safe staffing levels, retention and sustainability.’
Citing FIP President Paul Sinclair AM, he added.
‘”Pharmacy without the pharmacist is a risk to health” – governments must step up now to secure this workforce for the future.
‘So while we ask the community today to think of pharmacists when they think of their health, we also call on governments to think of the pharmacy profession when they think of the health system. Because Australians deserve nothing less than the best care from all health professions.’
Assoc. Prof. Simpson’s full address to the 83rd FIP World Congress is now available online.