Standards of Practice

Advanced Pharmacy Australia (AdPha) - formerly known as SHPA - Standards of Practice series is widely utilised and well-referenced by pharmacists and health professionals seeking guidance on the delivery of clinical, operational and specialty hospital pharmacy services. The series draws on the collective expertise of AdPha members across all areas of practice, and is written by a dedicated Working Group sourced from the respective Specialty Practice Group. 

AdPha is undertaking a comprehensive review and expansion of the series with enhancements relevant to current practice. Members will have the opportunity to provide feedback on draft Standards during advertised consultation periods. Both the new and revised Standards will be published in the Journal of Pharmacy Practice and Research (JPPR), available as a member benefit. For more information about the Standards contact the Standards Lead standards@adpha.au.

Standards of Practice Library (JPPR)

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Standards of Practice

Clinical Pharmacy

All Standards reference and rely upon the Advanced Pharmacy Australia Clinical Pharmacy Standards as the foremost Standard. Planned and published operational and specialty specific standards are shown below.

Dooley M, Bennett G, Clayson-Fisher T, Hill C, Lam N, Marotti S, O'Hara K, Potts C, Shum B, Tong E, Trevillian S, Sharp-Paul N, Newman S, Mellor Y.
Advanced Pharmacy Australia Clinical Pharmacy Standards.
J Pharm Pract Res 2024; 54. https://doi.org/10.1002/jppr.1959

Cardiology

Pizzi J, Livori A, Connell C, Hort A, Prosser A, Zhang C, Ziser K, Munro C, Mellor Y.
Standard of practice in cardiology for pharmacy services.
J Pharm Pract Res 2022; 52: 59-71. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jppr.1795.

Clinical Trials

Slobodian P, Challen J, Ching M, Hong E, Nikolajevic‐Sarunac J, Shum B, Vosk C, Munro C.
Standard of practice in clinical trials for pharmacy services.
J Pharm Pract Res 2020; 50: 429-44.  https://doi.org/10.1002/jppr.1676

Compounding Services

The Standard of practice for pharmacy production services is in development, to replace the SHPA Guidelines for Medicines Prepared in Australian Hospital Pharmacy Departments [2010]. The existing 2010 standard is available to AdPha members on request.

Critical Care

Johnston K, Ankravs MJ, Badman B, Choo CL, Cree M, Fyfe R, Roberts JA, Xu J, Munro, C.
Standard of ​practice in intensive care for pharmacy services.
J Pharm Pract Res 2021; 51: 165-83.  https://doi.org/10.1002/jppr.1718

Dispensing and Distribution

Lam P, Campbell A, Chynoweth T, Crawford A, Giles C, Kho JCL, Wood A, Bunte M, Munro C, Mellor Y.
Standard of practice in dispensing and distribution for pharmacy services.
J Pharm Pract Res 2021; 51: 511-35. https://doi.org/10.1002/jppr.1785

Emergency Medicine

Work on a revised Standard of Practice in Emergency Medicine for Pharmacy Services has commenced. The current Standard, published in 2019, is open access and available via the link below:-  

Welch S, Currey E, Doran E, Harding A, Roman C, Taylor S, Thomas A, Munro C.
Standard of practice in emergency medicine for pharmacy services.
J Pharm Pract Res 2019; 49: 570-84.  https://doi.org/10.1002/jppr.1627

General Medicine

Work on a revised Standard of Practice in General Medicine for Pharmacy Services has commenced. The current Standard, published in 2020, is open access and available via the link below:-  

Tong E, Collins J, Firman P, Jovanovic M, Edwards A, Olding S, Polmear J, Munro C.
Standard of practice in general medicine for pharmacy services.
J Pharm Pract Res 2020; 50: 356-65. https://doi.org/10.1002/jppr.1672

Geriatric Medicine

Work on a revised Standard of Practice in Geriatric Medicine for Pharmacy Services has commenced. The current Standard, published in 2020, is open access and available via the link below:-  

Elliott RA, Chan A, Godbole G, Hendrix I, Pont LG, Sfetcopoulos D, Woodward J, Munro C.
Standard of practice in geriatric medicine for pharmacy services.
J Pharm Pract Res 2020; 50: 82-97.  https://doi.org/10.1002/jppr.1636

Infectious Diseases

Cairns KA, Avent M, Buono E, Cheah R, Devchand M, Khumra S, Rawlins M, Roberts JA, Xenos K, Munro C.
Standard of practice in infectious diseases for pharmacy services.
J Pharm Pract Res 2021; 51: 247-64. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jppr.1744

Medication Safety

A new standard of practice to replace the SHPA Standards of Practice for Medication Safety [2012] is in development. The 2012 standard is available to AdPha members on request.

Medicines Information

A new standard of practice to replace the SHPA Standards of Practice for Medicines Information Services [2013] is in development. The 2013 standard is available to AdPha members on request).

Mental Health
 

Lowy H, Borja V, Bailey S, Bjorksten C, Kochman A, Longworth J, Meldrum A, Sieff A, Smith L, Wisdom A, Mellor Y.
Standard of practice in mental health for pharmacy services.
J Pharm Pract Res 2023; 53(4): 204-25.  https://doi.org/10.1002/jppr.1874

Nephrology

Work on a revised Standard of Practice in Nephrology for Pharmacy Services has commenced. The current Standard, published in 2020, is open access and available via the link below:-  

Scuderi C, Nalder M, Castelino R, Cervelli M, Ironside D, Jones C, Lloyd J, Mirkov S, Munro C.
Standard of practice in nephrology for pharmacy services.
J Pharm Pract Res 2020; 50: 263-75. https://doi.org/10.1002/jppr.1649

Oncology and Haematology

Coutsouvelis J, Adams J, Bortz H, Chau M, Chiang K, Foo J, Ibrahim K, Kerr K‐A, O'Connor S, Powell M, Rowan G, Siderov J, Tey A. Tran J, Vasileff H, Munro C.
Standard of practice in oncology and haematology for pharmacy services.
J Pharm Pract Res 2020; 50: 528-45. https://doi.org/10.1002/jppr.1686

Paediatrics and Neonatology
 

New Standard in development

Pain Management

Liu S, Bui T, Lee KKH, Lim WSA, Lim D, Onishko C, Penm J, Tran C, Tuffin P, Mellor Y.
Standard of practice in pain management for pharmacy services.
J Pharm Pract Res 2024; 54: 74-93. https://doi.org/10.1002/jppr.1910 

Palliative Care

To J, Dettwiller P, Hall T, Lewis J, Poulier MV, Tuffin P, Wojnar R, Mellor Y.
Standard of practice in palliative care for pharmacy services.
J Pharm Pract Res 2024; 54: 252-70.  https://doi.org/10.1002/jppr.1917 

Pharmacy Informatics and Technology (formerly Electronic Medication Management)

Bakker M, Dinh S, Luo D, Ooi CC, Rayson M, Singh H, Tey AXN, Tong E, Van Garderen A, Worthington R, Mellor Y.
Standard of practice in pharmacy informatics.
J Pharm Pract Res 2024. https://doi.org/10.1002/jppr.1916

Surgery and Perioperative Medicine:

Bui T, Fitzpatrick B, Forrester T, Gu G, Hill C, Mulqueen C, Penno J, Yu A, Munro C, Mellor Y.
Standard of practice in surgery and perioperative medicine for pharmacy services.
J Pharm Pract Res (2022); 52: 139-58 https://doi.org/10.1002/jppr.1805

Transitions of Care and Primary Care

Phillips K, Criddle D, Jordan M, Manias, E, McInerney B, Thiele H, Zeidan A, Mellor Y.
Standard of practice for pharmacy services specialising in transitions of care.
J Pharm Pract Res 2024; 54: 417-35. https://doi.org/10.1002/jppr.1957

Women's and Newborn Health

Dwyer J, Clark M, Grzeskowiak L, Lau C, Lebedevs T, Luttrell K, McGuire T, O'Hara K, Soo JY, Mellor Y.
Standard of practice in women's and newborn health for pharmacy services.
J Pharm Pract Res. https://doi.org/10.1002/jppr.1941

Guidelines

AdPha's guidelines provide practical advice for pharmacy services that may be covered by multiple specialties. Similar to the Standards of Practice series, we are undertaking a review of past Guidelines and updating them to relect current practices. A similar consultation process will apply. For more information about Guidelines, contact the Specialty Practice team via specialtypractice@adpha.au. See the description next to the Specialty Practice groups for an update on any respective Guidelines. 

  • Medicines Use Evaluation

Graudins LV, Fitzsimons K, Manias E, Mirkov S, Nguyen N‐A, Munro C.
Medicines Use Evaluation guideline.
J Pharm Pract Res 2020; 50: 166-79. doi:10.1002/jppr.1652: 
 

  • Safe handling and transportation of cytotoxic medicines
    A new guideline to replace the SHPA Standards of Practice for the Transportation of Cytotoxic Drugs from Pharmacy Departments [2007] and SHPA Standards of Practice for the Safe Handling of Cytotoxic Drugs in Pharmacy Departments [2005] is in development. The 2007 and 2005 Standards are available to AdPha members on request.

Non-member access

Non-members can access AdPha Standards of Practice via the Journal of Pharmacy Practice and Research.