Mon 11 August 2025
Pharmacists ready to do more: AdPha backs WA expansion, calls for hospital prescribing reform
In welcoming WA Government’s expansion of community pharmacy care, AdPha urges focus on the benefits that come with hospital collaborative prescribing models.
Advanced Pharmacy Australia (AdPha) has congratulated the Cook Government on expanding the scope of practice for qualified Western Australian pharmacists through the Enhanced Access Community Pharmacy Pilot – and is urging the next step: statewide rollout of hospital collaborative prescribing.
Under the expansion, pharmacists will be able to diagnose and treat an additional 17 everyday health conditions – from asthma and shingles to acute wound care and weight management – helping patients access faster, more convenient care while easing pressure on GPs and hospitals.
AdPha President Tom Simpson FANZCAP (Lead&Mgmt) said the initiative is a ‘win for patients’ and a sign of the Government’s commitment to unlocking the full potential of the pharmacy workforce.
‘This is a smart move that will deliver better access to care and better health outcomes for Western Australians.
‘Now is the time to apply that same thinking to our hospitals by fast-tracking the Pharmacist Partnered Medication Prescribing (PPMP) model across the state.
‘A collaborative prescribing approach embedded in hospital teams – would deliver major efficiency gains, free up medical and nursing capacity, and improve medicines safety. Importantly, it aligns with the Sustainable Health Review’s focus on delivering safe, timely, and high-quality care for all Western Australians.
‘The evidence is clear: PPMP is ten times safer for patients and can cut hospital stays by 10%.
‘With WA hospitals under pressure and emergency presentations at record highs, expanding PPMP statewide would improve outcomes, ease system strain, and deliver cost savings in the millions.
‘I commend the WA Government for their ongoing collaboration and commitment to strengthening our healthcare system. We now urge them to take the next step by implementing PPMP statewide – a proven model which AdPha, in collaboration with the WA Chief Pharmacists Forum, presented to WA Health prior to the election.
‘While we acknowledge that implementing PPMP statewide would require amendments to WA’s Medicines and Poisons Regulations, this is a crucial and necessary step to unlock the substantial benefits PPMP offers Western Australians.’