Support for quality pharmacy services

The Commonwealth Government will provide almost $70 million direct to community pharmacies as part of its commitment to quality assurance in community pharmacy.

From April 2007, up to $5,000 a year will be provided to accredited community pharmacies to improve their service to patients.

People who visit an accredited community pharmacy will have access to up-to-date professional information about their conditions and medications. These pharmacies will work to a customer charter designed to deliver the highest quality services and advice to their customers.

The changes to this program will continue to ensure that individual pharmacies have systems to give pharmacy staff up-to-date professional information and to enable pharmacists to provide expert advice.

The program forms part of the Fourth Community Pharmacy Agreement between the Government and the Pharmacy Guild of Australia. An additional $5.8 million has been allocated to the Guild and the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia to support community pharmacy in the uptake of the program.