Standards Australia has released the updated AS 85000:2024 Australian Community Pharmacy Standard. This revision sets a new benchmark for quality accreditation in community pharmacies, ensuring patient safety and alignment with modern pharmacy practices.
The Pharmacy Guild of Australia led the development in consultation with the and over 20 key industry stakeholders.
Simon Blacker, Chair of the Guild's Clinical Governance Committee, highlighted the collaborative effort, saying, "The new Standard was designed by the profession, for the profession, ensuring it is fit for purpose now and into the future."
"Standards are the foundation of quality accreditation and play a fundamental role in clinical governance in community pharmacy and lead to improved clinical outcomes, delivered more consistently, for all Australian patients."
The updated Standard aligns with the National Safety and Quality Primary and Community Healthcare Standards, introduced by the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (Commission) in 2021. This alignment ensures that community pharmacies adhere to best practices and deliver safe, high-quality care.
The Commission's Chief Medical Officer, Conjoint Associate Professor Carolyn Hullick, praised the collaboration with the Guild, noting that it promotes a nationally consistent approach to safety and quality improvements in primary and community healthcare.
"The alignment of these Standards is a terrific outcome for the pharmacy sector and the wider community. Sharing de-identified data on assessment outcomes helps to build a comprehensive picture of safety and quality across the sector and identify key areas for improvement," said Associate Professor Hullick.
"The new Standard emphasises clinical governance, consumer partnerships, and clinical safety principles, reinforcing its commitment to patient-centred care and continuous improvement."
The Guild and the Commission extend gratitude to the organisations that participated in the development of the updated Standard, including:
- Australian Association of Consultant Pharmacy
- Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care
- Australian Patients Association
- Australian Pharmacy Council
- Consumer Health Products Australia
- MedAdvisor (Previously GuildLink)
- Medical Software Industry Association
- National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation
- National Australian Pharmacy Students' Association
- Pharmaceutical Defence Limited
- Pharmaceutical Society of Australia
- Pharmacy Banner Groups
- Pharmacy Board of Australia under the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Authority
- Pharmacy Premises Registration Authorities of Australia
- Professional Compounding Chemists of Australia
- Professional Pharmacists Australia
- RSM
- Rural Pharmacists Australia
- The Pharmacy Guild of Australia
- Therapeutic Goods Administration
"We are very grateful for the time and commitment these organisations demonstrated to build this new Standard. It sets a precedent for how we work together to advance quality outcomes in community pharmacy," Mr Blacker concluded.
The AS 85000:2024 Australian Community Pharmacy Standard is now available for purchase from Standards Australia.
The new Standard was designed by the profession, for the profession, ensuring it is fit for purpose now and into the future.
Simon Blacker, Clinical Governance Committee Chair
The alignment of these Standards is a terrific outcome for the pharmacy sector and the wider community.
Conjoint Associate Professor Carolyn Hullick, Chief Medical Officer, Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care
