The role of community pharmacy in primary health care

In Australia, community pharmacists are increasingly recognised as an essential part of the frontline healthcare system. They are delivering a broad range of primary health services, more so than ever before.

Queensland pharmacists are leading the way and can now prescribe and manage treatment for a range of everyday health conditions. Enabling pharmacists in other states and territories to provide these same services will provide patients with universal access to health services regardless of where they live, be it within a city or in regional and rural areas.

Pharmacists’ ability to extend into the far reaches of Australian communities is unique. A high proportion of the Australian population have access to a community pharmacy within a 2.5-5km radius of where they live. It just makes sense to utilise this network of trained professionals who stand ready to do more.

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Scope of Practice - State & Territory Progress

The interactive tool below shows the progress of each state and territory.

You can hover over each bar to see the types of the service offered, and click on the bar to see a detailed breakdown.

Last updated: 01 Jul 2025

Below is further information about the latest initiatives being conducted and changes to permanent practice across the country. Select a state to access resources and information specific to that location.

  • ACT
  • NSW
  • NT
  • QLD
  • SA
  • TAS
  • VIC
  • WA

ACT


Services offered

Permanent Practice

  • Urinary Tract Infection

Pilot services

  • Acute exacerbations of mild plaque psoriasis
  • Herpes zoster (shingles)
  • Impetigo
  • Mild to moderate atopic dermatitis

Planned services (with Government commitment)

  • Acute minor wound management
  • Acute nausea and vomiting
  • Acute otitis externa
  • Acute otitis media
  • Allergic and nonallergic rhinitis
  • Asthma
  • Cardiovascular Disease (T2D, hypertension, dyslipidaemia)
  • COPD
  • Gastro-oesophageal reflux and gastro-oesophageal reflux disease
  • Management for overweight and obesity
  • Mild to moderate acne

NSW


Services offered

Permanent Practice

  • Allergic and nonallergic rhinitis
  • Gastro-oesophageal reflux and gastro-oesophageal reflux disease
  • Mild acute musculoskeletal pain
  • Urinary Tract Infection

Pilot services

  • Acute exacerbations of mild plaque psoriasis
  • Herpes zoster (shingles)
  • Impetigo
  • Mild to moderate atopic dermatitis

Planned services (with Government commitment)

  • Acute minor wound management
  • Acute nausea and vomiting
  • Acute otitis externa
  • Acute otitis media
  • Asthma
  • Cardiovascular Disease (T2D, hypertension, dyslipidaemia)
  • COPD
  • Management for overweight and obesity
  • Mild to moderate acne
  • Smoking cessation
  • Travel health

NT


Services offered

Permanent Practice

  • Urinary Tract Infection

Planned services (with Government commitment)

  • Acute exacerbations of mild plaque psoriasis
  • Acute minor wound management
  • Acute nausea and vomiting
  • Acute otitis externa
  • Acute otitis media
  • Allergic and nonallergic rhinitis
  • Asthma
  • Cardiovascular Disease (T2D, hypertension, dyslipidaemia)
  • COPD
  • Gastro-oesophageal reflux and gastro-oesophageal reflux disease
  • Herpes zoster (shingles)
  • Hormonal contraception - initiation
  • Impetigo
  • Management for overweight and obesity
  • Mild to moderate acne
  • Mild to moderate atopic dermatitis
  • Mild acute musculoskeletal pain
  • Oral health risk assessment and fluoride application
  • Smoking cessation
  • Travel health

QLD


Services offered

Permanent Practice

  • Acute exacerbations of mild plaque psoriasis
  • Acute minor wound management
  • Acute nausea and vomiting
  • Acute otitis externa
  • Acute otitis media
  • Allergic and nonallergic rhinitis
  • Gastro-oesophageal reflux and gastro-oesophageal reflux disease
  • Herpes zoster (shingles)
  • Hormonal contraception - initiation
  • Impetigo
  • Management for overweight and obesity
  • Mild to moderate acne
  • Mild to moderate atopic dermatitis
  • Mild acute musculoskeletal pain
  • Oral health risk assessment and fluoride application
  • Smoking cessation
  • Travel health
  • Urinary Tract Infection

Pilot services

  • Asthma
  • Cardiovascular Disease (T2D, hypertension, dyslipidaemia)
  • COPD

SA


Services offered

Permanent Practice

  • Urinary Tract Infection

Planned services (with Government commitment)

  • Acute exacerbations of mild plaque psoriasis
  • Acute minor wound management
  • Acute nausea and vomiting
  • Acute otitis externa
  • Acute otitis media
  • Allergic and nonallergic rhinitis
  • Gastro-oesophageal reflux and gastro-oesophageal reflux disease
  • Herpes zoster (shingles)
  • Impetigo
  • Mild to moderate acne
  • Mild to moderate atopic dermatitis
  • Mild acute musculoskeletal pain

TAS


Services offered

Pilot services

  • Urinary Tract Infection

VIC


Services offered

Permanent Practice

  • Acute exacerbations of mild plaque psoriasis
  • Herpes zoster (shingles)
  • Urinary Tract Infection

Planned services (with Government commitment)

  • Acute minor wound management
  • Acute nausea and vomiting
  • Acute otitis externa
  • Acute otitis media
  • Allergic and nonallergic rhinitis
  • Asthma
  • Cardiovascular Disease (T2D, hypertension, dyslipidaemia)
  • COPD
  • Gastro-oesophageal reflux and gastro-oesophageal reflux disease
  • Hormonal contraception - initiation
  • Impetigo
  • Management for overweight and obesity
  • Mild to moderate acne
  • Mild to moderate atopic dermatitis
  • Mild acute musculoskeletal pain
  • Oral health risk assessment and fluoride application
  • Smoking cessation
  • Travel health

WA


Services offered

Permanent Practice

  • Urinary Tract Infection

Planned services (with Government commitment)

  • Acute minor wound management
  • Acute nausea and vomiting
  • Gastro-oesophageal reflux and gastro-oesophageal reflux disease
  • Herpes zoster (shingles)
  • Mild to moderate acne
  • Mild to moderate atopic dermatitis
  • Mild acute musculoskeletal pain

Consult rooms

Consult rooms

Consult rooms provide a dedicated space for pharmacists to deliver private, patient-centred care. Whether you're establishing a new consult room or enhancing an existing one, the right infrastructure and support are crucial to ensuring efficiency and quality care.

Clinical governance

Clinical governance

Clinical Governance ensures the safety, quality and effectiveness of patient care within healthcare organisations and is maintained via an overarching framework.

Find a Pharmacy

Find a Pharmacy

Find your local pharmacy, and discover the range of services on offer.

Advertising services

Advertising services

A reminder to all pharmacies that are advertising services that there are TGA guidelines under the TGA Advertising code which apply to service advertisements. Please ensure that you stay familiar with the code and that all advertising across various platforms (social media, websites, signage, print media) is in compliance with the code.

Page last updated on: 01 July 2025