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The Australian Pharmacy Council (APC) is inviting feedback on the revised draft Accreditation Standards for Pharmacist Prescriber Education Programs (the Standards).
The revised standards reflect contemporary practice and healthcare delivery as well as relevant emerging practice and technologies. The standards are designed to be sustainable and adaptable and are regularly reviewed as healthcare is evolving rapidly.
At the Health Ministers’ Meeting (HMM) held in June 2025, Ministers noted that the jurisdictional expansion of community pharmacist’s scope of practice was at differing stages and approaches. Following the meeting, HMM requested the Pharmacy Board to begin work in September 2025 to progress an endorsement for scheduled medicines for pharmacists, with the intent to support a consistent, safe, and nationally coordinated approach to pharmacist prescribing.
To support this work, the APC is undertaking a review of the Accreditation Standards for Pharmacist Prescriber Education Programs (the Standards) as requested by Health Ministers through the Board.
In April 2026, the Pharmacy Board commenced public consultation on a draft Registration Standard: Endorsement for scheduled medicines.
The final scope of the Pharmacy Board's endorsement registration standard will inform the final version of the revised Standards.
The APC Accreditation Standards for Pharmacist Prescriber Education Programs are critical for ensuring pharmacists are equipped with the education and competencies required to safely and effectively prescribe medicines under evolving legislative frameworks. National consistency in pharmacist prescribing will be underpinned by our work.
These standards describe the criteria that prescribing education programs must meet to receive and maintain accreditation and will reflect contemporary practice and healthcare delivery and relevant emerging practice and technologies.
Chief Standards Officer Kate Spencer acknowledged the importance of broad consultation in the revision of the standards.
'We understand the significance and impact of a broad consultation. We appreciate the extensive feedback that we have received during the preliminary consultation with key stakeholders across professions, with jurisdictions and through First Nations voices, ensuring that we are hearing a wide range of perspectives and knowledges.
'The current standards have been successfully applied across jurisdictions, and these revisions are intended to reflect current practice while ensuring we continue to meet evolving needs and support the endorsement,' Ms Spencer concluded.
APC looks forward to receiving feedback through the public consultation that will help shape high-quality, future-focused standards for pharmacy education and practice.
Supporting materials
Consultation papers including draft accreditation standards have been published to support the consultation.
To learn more and provide your feedback, see APC's consultation webpage.