Advanced Practice Collaborative launches
The nation’s leading pharmacy organisations have united today to launch the Advanced Practice Collaborative, a new committee that will work collaboratively to examine and progress drivers for Advance Practice pharmacists in Australia.
Involving representatives from the Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia (SHPA), the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) and the Pharmacy Guild of Australia, the Advanced Practice Collaborative will meet quarterly to progress Advanced Practice in Australia.
The committee will examine barriers and enablers to Advanced Practice, review and monitor progress and adoption, provide advocacy and leadership and provide a liaison point for the profession and develop an action plan for implementation of Advanced Practice in Australia.
SHPA will shortly be establishing a body to oversee a process for assessing the individual impact of pharmacists’ experience and expertise for Advanced Practice recognition.
PSA will be undertaking their own scoping for Advanced Practice assessment over the coming months as the new collaborative discusses strategies that will help drive a sustainable assessment model for Advanced Practice.
Both PSA and SHPA would be responsible for implementing and maintaining the Advanced Practice Award standards and guidelines, the award assessment protocol and guidelines, the quality assurance process and guidelines for assessment agencies.
SHPA President Professor Michael Dooley said the timing is right to facilitate the return of an Advanced Practice process in Australia.
“It has been a strong year for all three organisations – at SHPA, our new partnership with the Royal Pharmaceutical Society [GB] means the Advanced Practice Collaborative can draw directly on international research and experience to hit the ground running,” Prof Dooley said.
“Meanwhile, the resounding endorsement of Australian pharmacy initiatives on the global stage at the 77th International Pharmacy Federation Congress in South Korea in September, showed Australian pharmacists are more than ready to have their dedication and innovation independently recognised and verified.”
PSA National President Dr Shane Jackson said he was delighted the three major pharmacy organisations were working together on practitioner development and identifying what support structures can be put in place to facilitate Advanced Practice.
Pharmacy Guild of Australia National President George Tambassis also welcomed the new collaboration across the profession: “I look forward to progress on this front in the interests of the profession, and most importantly our patients.”
Taken from Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia (SHPA), the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) and the Pharmacy Guild of Australia joint media release 16 November 2017
.png)