Wed 28 January 2026

Policy and Advocacy Summary – December 2025 & January 2026

Over the last two months, AdPha has provided briefings on its The State of Pharmacy: Workforce Insights 2025 to federal and jurisdictional health ministers, health departments and Chief Allied Health Officers across a majority of jurisdictions.

While the data on healthcare workforce shortages is often replicated in other allied healthcare workforces, these meetings have illuminated stakeholders to the types of pharmacy services that are not being undertaken due to enduring workforce shortages, and the need for pharmacy workforce plans.

AdPha has used this report to inform recent policy submissions to Queensland Health, New South Wales, Tasmania and ACT Budget submission processes.

Consultation on Prescribing by pharmacists and registered nurses consultation in Western Australia has opened, which puts collaborative prescribing by pharmacists front and centre after AdPha’s advocacy on Partnered Pharmacist Medication Prescribing in WA in collaboration with WA Chief Pharmacists Forum.

It has been exciting to see more developments in collaborative prescribing off the back of our member-powered advocacy.

Rounding out this month has been the announcement of a National Medicines Record, which in-principle will support medication safety and medication reconciliation.

AdPha has reached out to the Department and relevant stakeholders, and looks forward to the forthcoming consultation process and ensuring our members’ views are heard, and form part of the policy design and delivery.