What’s in PSA’s Pharmacists in 2030?

Launched today at PSA24, Pharmacists in 2030 lays out how pharmacists can achieve their full potential.

Presenting a vision for the future, Pharmacists in 2030 sets out the actions and enablers that will support pharmacists to meet the growing health needs of the Australian population.

It is an evolution of the watershed Pharmacists in 2023, which unveiled a clear vision in 2019 of the steps needed to unlock opportunities for pharmacists to fulfil their full potential.

While many of the opportunities outlined in Pharmacists in 2030 have been achieved, this new vision of the future of Australian pharmacy practice places much greater focus on empowering pharmacists to reach their full potential, including funding, workforce development, workforce sustainability and personal wellbeing. 

‘To be effective in meeting the population’s health needs, in 2030 funders must use research, data intelligence and evaluation effectively to evolve patient care,’ Pharmacists in 2030 suggests. ‘This must be done without unnecessary additional pilots and trials which routinely reproduce existing findings that specific interventions are effective.’

Pharmacists in 2030 articulates six key actions to realise this vision:

• Medicine safety – empowering and supporting pharmacists to reduce risks and minimise harm by advancing medicine safety in practice
• Medicines stewardship – supporting pharmacists to actively lead and influence effective and judicious medicine use
• Access to care – providing all consumers greater access to care by increasing and leveraging the accessibility of pharmacists to address unmet health needs
• Equity – supporting pharmacists to meet the unique needs of vulnerable individuals and priority populations to address the disparity of health status through the provision of appropriate and responsive care
• Workforce development – equipping and growing the pharmacist workforce to address
  existing and emerging health challenges
• Sustainability – driving practice changes that increase the sustainability of the pharmacist workforce, increase social contribution and limit environmental impact.

Launching Pharmacists in 2030 today (2 August) at PSA24, Minister for Health and Aged Care Mark Butler said ‘whether it be through expanding the role that pharmacists play in vaccinations, to working on-site in aged care to improve medication management, to boosting funding for general practice to expand their health teams, including with non-dispensing pharmacists.’

‘Success in achieving progress has seen the PSA develop a 2030 document that is bolder and broader in its ambitions than its predecessor.‘

Minister Butler also announced funding for PSA, so that it can provide workshops, webinars and other education and training activities to support pharmacists in the lead up to the 1 October changes.

PSA National President Associate Professor Fei Sim FPS, who co-launched Pharmacists in 2030, said it builds on the growing momentum behind the profession.

‘Pharmacists in 2030 challenges the entire health ecosystem to collaboratively drive pharmacy practice to the next level, including policymakers, patients and consumers.

‘We know that regulatory change alone is not enough. We need to address the cultural and system factors which hold our profession back and importantly, we cannot continue expecting pharmacists to do more with less.

‘Our goal is getting to a point where practice is more efficient, relieving unnecessary administrative burden so that pharmacists can focus on delivering the care that patients need.’

Pharmacists in 2030 is available here.

Missed the opening plenary today? Click here to read the full transcript of A/Prof Sim’s inspiring opening address.