“This is good news for community pharmacy. It will now cost less to establish a new pharmacy, relocate an existing pharmacy or make an existing pharmacy bigger or smaller” Pharmacy Guild of Australia, National President Professor Trent Twomey said.
“It’s particularly helpful when operational costs are increasing across the board,” he continued.
The changes will see the fee to establish or relocate a pharmacy reduced by $230 to $1,370.
The fee to increase or decrease the size of an existing pharmacy has been cut by $90 - to $465.
“To keep community pharmacy as one of most accessible parts of the Australian healthcare system, it’s important to have a regulatory framework that helps—not hinders—investment in pharmacy services.”
The government has been charging fees for pharmacy approvals since FY2019-20 following an agreement between the Commonwealth and the Pharmacy Guild of Australia. It is aimed at deterring vexatious and repetitive applications.
Last financial year the fee for new and relocating pharmacies remained unchanged at $1,600, while the fee for expanding or contracting pharmacies was reduced from $600 to $555.
This change will create heathier communities by supporting community pharmacies to provide convenient and accessible health care.