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 the respective Specialty Practice Leadership Committees or a dedicated Working 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 Specialty Practice team via specialtypractice@adpha.au.
Standards of Practice Library (JPPR)
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Standards of Practice
Clinical Pharmacy
All Standards reference and rely upon the SHPA Standards of Practice for Clinical Pharmacy Services as the foremost Standard. Planned and published operational and specialty specific standards are shown below.
The Clinical Pharmacy Standards project is currently developing an updated and revised Standard of Practice for Clinical Pharmacy Services and will be inviting member feedback on drafts during 2024.
SHPA Committee of Specialty Practice in Clinical Pharmacy.
SHPA Standards of Practice for Clinical Pharmacy Services.
J Pharm Pract Res 2013; 43 (2 suppl): S2-S69.
Bunte M.
Standards of practice for clinical pharmacy services – Chapter 16: My Health Record.
J Pharm Pract Res 2021; 51: 536-51. https://doi.org/10.1002/jppr.1774
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
A new standard of practice to replace the SHPA Guidelines for Medicines Prepared in Australian Hospital Pharmacy Departments [2010] is in development. The existing 2010 standard is available to SHPA 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 SHPA 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 SHPA 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
Technicians
Bekema C, Bruno-Tomé A, Butnoris M, Carter J, Diprose E, Hickman L, Raleigh R, Teasdale TL.
Standard of Practice for Pharmacy Technicians to support Clinical Pharmacy Services.
The Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia (SHPA); Collingwood: 2019.
Transitions of Care and Primary Care
New Standard in development
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 SHPA members on request.
Non-member access
Non-members can access AdPha Standards of Practice via the Journal of Pharmacy Practice and Research.