By Professor Trent Twomey, National President, The Pharmacy Guild of Australia
Originally published in Pharmacy Daily
Graduate Certificate programs are now available across most Australian states, reflecting a significant expansion in advanced practice education
Leading universities offering these courses include JCU and QUT, the University of Adelaide, the University of Western Australia, the University of Newcastle, Monash University, and the University of Technology Sydney.
And JCU supports the delivery of courses at Charles Darwin University (NT) and Curtin University and the University of Tasmania.
I’d like to thank these Universities for having the foresight and confidence to invest in delivering these courses. By doing so they are investing in the future of pharmacy and in the health of Australia.
There’s growing investment in these training pathways. Subsidies and support programs are available in QLD, NT, TAS WA and SA. This means pharmacists everywhere, not just in metropolitan areas, can access the education they need to provide care for everyday and long-term health conditions.
For patients in rural and remote communities, expanded services delivered by pharmacists mean timely care without long travel or wait times. These changes aren’t just about professional growth, they’re about building a smarter, stronger health system for the future. One that takes pressure of GPs and provides patients with safe and accessible care. The opportunity is here, and the need is urgent. Let’s seize it.
There is a shared recognition that education unlocks opportunity. By investing in training, governments and universities are helping pharmacists practise to their full scope, safely, collaboratively, and with confidence. Expanded scope means better access, better outcomes, and a stronger health system.
For years, we’ve advocated for pharmacists to use their skills to the fullest. We’ve retrofitted the pathways for those of you already qualified. Now is a great time to begin your prescribing pharmacist journey.
Long-term, these competencies need to be embedded into the base registerable degree. It’s the only viable option to deliver thousands of scope-ready graduates. Achieving this will transform community pharmacy and ensure we can all play out part to create healthier communities.