Following the announcement that the Australian Association of Consultant Pharmacy (AACP) Board will cease operations, the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) is proud to announce that accreditation will remain available to all pharmacists through PSA, who are working to further streamline the process and remove barriers for any pharmacists wanting to undertake accreditation. PSA further expresses absolute support for accreditation and a career pathway for accredited pharmacists.
PSA National President Dr Fei Sim says that despite the closure of the AACP, accreditation will continue to be an integral part of the pharmacy profession and PSA.
"PSA is and always will be the home of accredited pharmacists. Accreditation aligns with our policy and advocacy agenda," Dr Sim said.
"We are absolutely committed to ensuring accreditation opportunities remain and acknowledge the need for pharmacists to develop and maintain the skills attained during accreditation to be a minimum requirement for activities like RMMRs and HMRs.
"Accredited pharmacists have and will continue to play a vital role in the profession, especially as work progresses to embed pharmacists in residential aged care facilities.
Dr Sim encouraged all accredited pharmacists to join the PSA and added that all pharmacists who complete their accreditation or reaccreditation with PSA will also be offered post-nominal titles, as well as opportunities to attend autonomous events for accredited pharmacists.
"PSA-accredited pharmacists will be able to access professional support and professional development throughout your entire career, not only through your training. This is an important part of the support AACP has provided, and PSA is proud to carry on that legacy.
To demonstrate PSA's commitment, the PSA Accreditation Expert Advisory Group has been established. Under the leadership of Chair Debbie Rigby FPS and alongside experts A/Prof Chris Freeman FPS, Deborah Hawthorne MPS, Dr Andrew Stafford MPS, Dr Manya Angley FPS, and Tim Perry FPS, the group will provide advice to PSA on the new accreditation model, which ensures accredited pharmacists' needs are met. "Accreditation is an important step to assure consumers, aged care providers, GPs and funders that pharmacists are competent to conduct comprehensive medication reviews," the Chair of the group Ms Rigby said. "We are looking to contemporise the training and assessment process, building on the existing AACP model by considering changing practice needs and external feedback. I am really pleased that PSA is committed to provide a suite of training and education modules as well as support and mentoring.
"Opportunities for different career pathways for pharmacists continue to expand, so it's important that we have a complete package of support, training and credentialing for pharmacists attracted to this area of practice."
Accredited pharmacists who are PSA members will also be automatically provided the post-nominal "MPS-AACPA". Accredited pharmacists who are not current PSA members are urged to join the PSA.
