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The Australian Pharmacy Council (APC) is the trusted, independent authority that accredits pharmacy education programs and training in Australia. We do this to ensure that pharmacists have the skills and knowledge they need for safe, effective practice.
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All Australian states and territories have laws to establish the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme (NRAS). It ensures all health practitioners meet the requirements to practise.
Accrediting a program ensures that upon completion, graduates and registered pharmacists are 'suitably trained and qualified'.
We accredit a range of programs by reviewing them to confirm that they meet clear, evidence-based standards. This ensures that upon graduation or completion of a program, pharmacists can practise pharmacy safely and effectively.
It's important that we equip pharmacists to address individual needs in an ever-changing environment. This includes:
These areas of practice are supported by our accreditation standards to produce socially accountable pharmacists.
Step 1
Education providers applying for accreditation of a new program are required to notify APC via email. A Notification of Intent form is submitted via the Accreditation Management System (AMS). Once reviewed we will send education providers the accreditation application submission details.
Step 2
We will provide access to a submission space in the AMS where education providers will need to respond to each of the Accreditation Standard Criteria individually. Additional evidence to support the application narrative must be included with the submission. The Accreditation Team are available for support if needed through this step.
Step 3
We select an external Accreditation Assessment Team (AAT) who review the accreditation application.
The composition of the Accreditation Assessment Team depends on the type of program that is being assessed. It also depends on whether it is an accreditation of a new program or reaccreditation of an existing program but will always include at a minimum an academic and practicing pharmacist.
Step 4
Once the application has been completed in the AMS, it must be submitted. The AAT and appointed Accreditation Team member will then review and analyse the submission against the standards.
Step 5
An accreditation site visit is conducted. The duration of the site visit and whether it takes place in-person or online depends on the type of program that is being assessed.
The AAT and appointed Accreditation Team member will be in attendance and have prepared questions to be asked of different groups through the visit. This could include staff, students, supervisors, and external stakeholders.
Step 6
The AAT prepare a report of findings against all criteria. They will make recommendations and a finding if each criterion is compliant or not compliant.
Step 7
The Accreditation Committee (the Committee) review the AAT Report and make a decision regarding accreditation status of the program and accreditation period.
The Committee may apply conditions and/or monitoring requirements to monitor ongoing compliance against the Accreditation Standards. They use a Risk-Based Decision Making Framework to guide these decisions.
Step 8
We notify the Pharmacy Board of Australia of the accreditation outcome for degree and Intern Training Programs so they can undertake their approval process.
Step 9
Ongoing and regular program monitoring and reporting occurs. To maintain ongoing accreditation a number of regular quality assurance and monitoring activities are undertaken.
Step 10
For re-accreditation we will notify education providers 12 to 18 months prior to the accreditation expiry date.
APC accreditation committee members, assessors and staff operate under a Code of Conduct. The Code supports consistent, evidence-based decision making, management of conflicts of interest, confidentiality and respectful engagement with education providers.
The process to become - and remain - accredited varies depending on the program.
We accredit:
We also permit education providers delivering an accredited pharmacy program to self-accredit their vaccination training against our standards.
Find out about:
Find out about:
We publish lists of currently accredited programs and organisations:
Email us on accreditation@pharmacycouncil.org.au
Discover the standards we developed to accredit pharmacy programs and vaccination training programs
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