Queensland pharmacy pilot reaches training milestone

‘GPs have been left nonplussed,’ according to RACGP Queensland Chair Dr Cath Hester, following an announcement from the Pharmacy Guild of Australia that 100 community pharmacists across the state are fully trained and authorised to diagnose and prescribe medication for a range of health conditions. 
 
The move is part of the Queensland Community Pharmacy Scope of Practice Pilot, which will soon become a permanent part of the state’s healthcare offering from 1 July.
 
The Pharmacy Guild of Australia’s Queensland President Chris Owen branded these training numbers a ‘significant milestone’ for the pilot, saying it will give patients more choice.
 
‘Having these 100 community pharmacists offering more choices to Queenslanders provides greater access to healthcare services for patients and will take pressure off the healthcare system,’ he said.
 
‘This improved access and choice will lead to better health outcomes for more patients.’
 
Dr Hester begs to differ, saying she holds concerns about the impact of giving pharmacists the additional responsibility and its impact on patient care.
 
‘I am concerned that it suggests health systems are becoming less interested in overall patient outcomes, and more interested in measuring convenience, even if this means access to lower quality, fragmented, inefficient and commercially conflicted care,’ she told newsGP.
 
‘We enjoy a health system that is rated number one internationally for our health outcomes, health equity and efficient health expenditure. A strong emphasis on specialist general practice care is largely what has driven this.
 
‘It would be an absolute shame for vested interests to be driving our health system away from strategies that continue to provide world-leading, cost-effective and safe care.
 
‘At a human level, patients are well aware that being sold medications in a retail setting is a far cry from a consultation with a GP who knows them and their health history.’
 
Originally announced by the Palaszczuk Government in October 2022, the pilot initially focused on North Queensland.
 
It was later extended statewide in September 2023 with claims it would improve healthcare access across the state, however the RACGP has been a vocal advocate against the initiative.
 
Officially launched in April 2024, participating pharmacists receive training to be able to independently manage a range of health conditions, including acute exacerbations of mild plaque psoriasis, shingles, management for overweight and obesity, and mild to moderate acne.
 
Pharmacists are required to complete the training through an accredited education provider, with the education involving both prescribing and clinical practice tranches.
 
A Community Pharmacy Hormonal Contraception Pilot is also underway in Queensland, with the State Government revealing in March that more than 135 community pharmacists are taking part across both pilots.
 
Starting from 1 July, both pilots will be made permanent, but Dr Hester says the decision to embed the pilot into the health system seemed to be a ‘political inevitability’ and claims the process has failed to present much of a chance for ‘genuine stakeholder input’.
 
‘One aspect of this that has surprised me is that there is no ongoing monitoring or evaluation planned to assess the safety of this scheme,’ she said.
 
‘That rings alarm bells for me, along with the fact that the clinical governance around maintaining skills and competencies has not been assured.’
 
Come July, the Guild’s Queensland President said he expects the number of pharmacies participating in the program to grow.
 
However, despite Mr Owen presenting the 100 pharmacists as ‘a milestone’, it comes as, in June 2022, there were 6495 pharmacists registered to practice in Queensland.
 
Dr Hester says the lack of enthusiasm from pharmacists doesn’t come as a surprise.
 
‘Pharmacists at the coalface are very overworked already with significant workforce strain, especially in non-metropolitan areas. Pharmacy prescribing would add extra duties and stressors into the mix and, I imagine for many, this would be untenable,’ she said.
 
‘I do hope this scheme doesn’t distract pharmacists from the importance of their core work. We really do need pharmacists in our communities, working along with GPs, to help provide the best possible care for our patients.’
 
The RACGP has highlighted the need, and value, of pharmacists working alongside GPs. In its 2025 Federal Election Platform, the college called for increased funding through the Workforce Incentive Program (WIP) to build multidisciplinary care teams, including pharmacists.
 
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