SHPA urges recognition

THE Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia says there is no ques on that the scope of work of pharmacists is expanding contradicting the posi on held by the Pharmacy Guild which opposes pay rises for pharmacists under a “work value claim” sought by union group APESMA (PD 24 Apr).

Responding to last week’s Pharmacy Daily report, SHPA ceo Kris n Michaels said evidence of the growing impact and influence of pharmacists con nued to build across the sector.

“New pharmacy roles are emerging and core pharmacy roles are expanding in scope - SHPA con nues to advocate for growing recogni on of this unique exper se and its criticality to pa ent care,” Michaels said, adding that op mal care for all Australians depended on a na onal pharmacist workforce that was well-trained and appropriately valued.

“As well as attracting the best and brightest students to a long and successful career in pharmacy, fostering pharmacists’ excellence is particularly important to suppor ng pa ents as they move from the community into hospital and back to the community again, a

me when poor medicines use can have grave ramifications."

Michaels noted SHPA’s commitment to the Advanced Prac ce Collabora ve as a strategic driver of the new Advancing Prac ce program (PD

05 Mar), along with the Society’s specialty prac ce streams which are harnessing the collec ve exper se of pharmacists to develop and deliver new and enhanced resources to improve all areas of pharmacy prac ce.

“As Australia’s number two most trusted professional group, pharmacists must be valued by the health system as much as they are valued by the public,” she urged.