But beneath that reliability lies a growing problem — keeping pharmacists in the profession, and in their jobs.
The latest findings from PGA and the Australian Pharmacy Leaders Forum (APLF) Workforce Roundtable paint a clear picture: workforce retention is one of the most pressing challenges facing the sector in 2025.
The data reveals a sector under pressure from salary costs, excess demand, and unclear career progression. But the same data also points to solutions -— if the profession is prepared to act.
Salaries: the cost of care
Salary is the single biggest operating expense for most pharmacies. As a share of turnover, it outweighs rent, depreciation and interest. That financial reality matters because community pharmacies operate as small businesses, not big corporations. There’s only so much room to move before the balance sheet breaks.
Yet, remuneration is critical. Pharmacists are not simply dispensers— they’re healthcare professionals who deliver vaccination programs, manage medicines, and act as first responders for patients who can’t get into overstretched GP clinics. If salaries lag behind the value of that work, it becomes harder to retain staff, particularly as other parts of healthcare offer more attractive pathways.
Tenure: a promise versus reality
At first glance, there’s reason for optimism. A striking 89 percent of pharmacists under the age of 35 say they intend to work in the profession for at least another 10 years. That suggests a deep commitment to pharmacy as a career.
But the numbers on actual tenure tell a different story. Across classifications, the average time spent at a single workplace is relatively short. Staff churn is common.
The message is clear: pharmacists want to stay in the industry, but not necessarily in the same job for very long. That gap between intention and reality highlights retention as a structural issue, not an individual choice.
Demand: more work, same workforce
Layered over this is increasing demand. Forecasts consistently point to excess demand for pharmacists into the future. As other parts of the health system face bottlenecks, pharmacies are taking on more work, and the distribution of hours worked by pharmacists has crept upwards over the past decade.
That might sound like good business, but it’s a warning sign. Rising hours, coupled with limited staff growth, is a recipe for burnout. If retention isn’t addressed, the sector risks a shrinking workforce just as demand reaches new peaks.
Career development: the weakest link
The data also reveals an important driver of disengagement: career development. Surveys show pharmacists value the work itself, but they are far less satisfied with their career development opportunities. Put simply, they don’t see where the job can take them.
Compared to doctors or nurses, the career progression of pharmacists is flat. Other healthcare professionals move into specialties, leadership or advanced clinical roles. Pharmacy too often looks like a one-track career, with limited recognition for upskilling.
This lack of a clear pathway is a major factor behind churn. People may like the profession, but if they can’t see growth, they will move sideways into roles that offer more.
Solutions: building a profession which retains talent
If pharmacy wants to solve its retention problem, it must build a future which matches the ambition of its workforce. The solutions are not radical, but they require commitment.
First, salaries must be competitive. No amount of passion for healthcare can offset the frustration of perceived low remuneration
Second, structured career pathways must be created. This means building roles beyond the dispensary: in expanded community pharmacy services, management, digital health, research, and expanded community services. Pharmacists need to see a ladder, not a dead end.
Third, work models must recognise balance. Younger workers want flexibility. Rotating across community, hospital and digital roles—or rotating across community pharmacy roles or even working part-time while studying further—should be seen as a strength, not a liability.
Finally, there needs to be a cultural shift. Pharmacy can no longer view itself as a static trade. It must embrace its role as a dynamic healthcare profession, with all the responsibility and recognition that entails.
Retention is healthcare
Retention is more than a human resources issue—it’s a healthcare issue. Without enough pharmacists, services collapse, patients suffer, and the broader health system loses one of its most reliable entry points. The good news is the profession already has the data. Now it’s about action. If pharmacy can invest in its people, create real career pathways, and reward ambition, it won’t just retain staff — it will build a stronger, more resilient future for Australian healthcare.
If pharmacy wants to solve its retention problem, it must build a future which matches the ambition of its workforce. The solutions are not radical, but they require commitment. workforce.
