Pharmacy Daily | APC welcomes Ahpra 5-year strategy

THE Australian Pharmacy Council (APC) has welcomed and committed to supporting the delivery of the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency's (Ahpra) new fiveyear strategy (PD 18 Mar), describing it as a "strong and timely framework to support public protection, cultural safety and a sustainable health workforce".

The strategy provides clear direction for the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme at a time of significant change across the Australian health system, APC CEO Bronwyn Clark noted.

"As the independent accrediting authority for pharmacy education, APC has a critical role in translating this strategy into practice through education standards, quality assurance and continuous improvement," Clark said.

"We look forward to working closely with Ahpra and National Scheme partners to support the delivery of this ambitious agenda."

A key component of the strategy is workforce sustainability, which APC is strongly committed to delivering, and is already working closely with National Scheme partners on accreditation reform as part of this.

APC also welcomed the strategy's strong focus on cultural safety and the elevation of community voices, reflecting its commitment to embedding Indigenous leadership and cultural safety throughout pharmacy education.

"Cultural safety is not an addon, it must be integral to how future pharmacists are educated and assessed," Clark said.

Strong collaboration across the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme would be essential to the strategy's success, Clark said, noting that the APC was committed to working closely with Ahpra, the Pharmacy Board of Australia and education providers to ensure that accreditation supports core strategy components.

"APC looks forward to contributing to the delivery of this strategy in the interests of public safety and a trusted, sustainable pharmacy profession," Clark concluded. KB