THE Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) is encouraging Victorian pharmacists to enrol in its Prescribing Scope of Practice Training Program, which is now accepting enrolments.
This follows the Victorian Government's announcement last week that courses with Australian Pharmacy Council (APC) accreditation - which includes the PSA's program - are now recognised for pharmacists in Victoria.
Those who complete the training will be ready to implement new prescribing protocols as they are released, following direction from the Victorian Department of Health.
Pharmacists who have already completed the PSA's prescribing course in other jurisdictions will also be able to prescribe under Victorian-specific protocols as they are released under the Chemist Care Now program.
With 800 pharmacies taking part and more than 64,000 people supported across the state, Chemist Care Now is a rebrand of the Community Pharmacist Program, and is now an ongoing, statewide service following the successful 12-month pilot.
Chemist Care Now allows pharmacists to provide treatment for common health conditions without needing a prescription, with new health conditions and wellbeing services to be added over the next two years.
The government has invested $18 million this year to expand the program and make it permanent, and also intends to run an advertising campaign to help build public awareness of the program and treatments available.
In addition, the government is backing the workforce with more opportunities to upskill, with the recently announced Graduate Certificate of Pharmacist Prescribing at Monash University (PD 24 Nov) also among the options.
"Chemist Care Now is giving Victorians faster access to the care they need, close to home - and these new training options will upskill the pharmacist workforce so they can provide even more care," said Victorian Minister for Health Mary-Anne Thomas.
"With this training, pharmacists will be able to confidently treat a range of everyday conditions, meaning you can get the help you need, even easier," she added.
The PSA's Pharmacist Prescribing Scope of Practice Training Program develops pharmacists' skills and expertise through specialised prescribing and clinical practice training, and is delivered online with flexible enrolment.
"It's an exciting time to be a pharmacist," said PSA Victorian President Atinuke Abraham.
"We encourage all Victorian pharmacists to enrol now and be ready to practise to their full scope," she concluded. KB
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