Pharmacy Board of Australia moves towards nationally coordinated pharmacist prescribing
18 Sep 2025
The Board is developing an endorsement for scheduled medicines that, if approved by Health Ministers, will allow pharmacists who complete an approved prescribing qualification to have their registration endorsed. This would enable them to administer, obtain, possess, prescribe, sell, supply, or use scheduled medicines safely across Australia.
The endorsement aims to standardise qualifications for pharmacists prescribing scheduled medicines across all states and territories and to support workforce mobility.
“Establishing an endorsement has been requested by Health Ministers and is the next stage in the Board’s extensive work since 2018 to explore pharmacist prescribing arrangements that ensure public safety,” the Board said.
Concerns from the GP sector
The RACGP has raised concerns over expanding pharmacist prescribing in retail settings. RACGP Vice President Dr Ramya Raman warned it could fragment care, delay treatment, and risk misdiagnosis, particularly for patients with complex health issues.
“GPs and pharmacists both bring vital expertise, but integration must be safe, structured, and patient-centred,” Dr Raman said.
“The GP–patient relationship is built on trust, continuity, and clinical judgement. Undermining trusted care for convenience is a step backwards.”
Dr Raman emphasised that GP care involves understanding the whole person – physically, emotionally, and socially – not just writing prescriptions.
How the Board plans to develop the endorsement
To support the endorsement, the Pharmacy Board will:
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Establish an Expert Advisory Committee on Pharmacist Prescribing and collaborate with AHPRA’s Scheduled Medicines Expert Committee.
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Develop a registration standard based on guidance published on the AHPRA website.
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Engage with a wide range of stakeholders through a pharmacist prescribing forum.
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Publish a consultation paper to gather feedback from the public, healthcare professionals, stakeholders, and governments before submission to Health Ministers.
The Board has previously funded the Australian Pharmacy Council (APC) to develop accreditation standards for pharmacist prescriber education and will continue to fund a review of these standards to support the proposed endorsement.
Industry response
Pharmacy Guild of Australia National President Professor Trent Twomey welcomed the announcement, describing it as a pivotal step for patients and the pharmacy profession. He said the endorsement could unlock safe, consistent, and accessible care, and help reduce pressure on GPs and emergency departments.
“An endorsement framework ensures pharmacists can deliver services to the full extent of their training, skills, and knowledge,” Professor Twomey said.
The Board stressed it looks forward to engaging with stakeholders to ensure a safe and nationally coordinated approach to pharmacist prescribing.
Source: Pharmacy Board of Australia, RACGP, Pharmacy Guild of Australia, September 2025
