Under the new program, patients will be able to access healthcare services through community pharmacies by the end of 2026, with pharmacists trained to assess, manage, and treat a range of conditions.
Speaking at the announcement, Pharmacy Guild of Australia WA Branch President Andrew Ngeow said, “Pharmacist enrolment and the commencement of training is the critical first step in the Enhanced Access Community Pharmacy Pilot.”
The WA EACPP comes on the heels of similar programs in states including Queensland, Tasmania and Victoria. By adopting the guidelines and protocols successfully implemented and assessed in other jurisdictions, including robust training assessed by the WA Department of Health and accredited by the Australasian Pharmacy Council, WA aims to expand the accessibility and effectiveness of community pharmacy’s role in primary healthcare across the state.
“It makes absolute sense to better utilise the community pharmacy network,” said Mr Ngeow. “Similar pharmacy-based programs in all other Australian states and territories have increased patients’ access to safe, timely healthcare.”
With $1.26 million allocated by the WA Government to support the initial intake of pharmacists for EACPP training, increased service delivery is expected to commence by 2027.
More information on the EACPP, including applications to participate, guidelines for pharmacist eligibility, training course details, and subsidy options are available through the WA Department of Health website.
