From October this year, the Quality Care Pharmacy Program will become the Quality and Safety Pharmacy Program.
The transition from QCPP to QSPP will naturally prompt questions from community pharmacy owners, many of whom have operated under QCPP requirements since 1997. Owners will be asking, “Why the change?” and “What does this mean for my pharmacy.”
The short answer is, like all high performers, we need to evolve to remain at the top of our field. This is an exciting time for Australia’s community pharmacies, and the evolution to QSPP will ensure we are at the forefront of healthcare, now and into the future. This shift means industry accreditation will align with the updated standard AS85000:2024, enabling community pharmacies to reach their full potential.
Why the change?
The move to the QSPP model highlights community pharmacy’s focus on quality and safety, with an even greater emphasis on clinical governance. It reflects how the scope of pharmacy practice has evolved since QCPP was first introduced, such as prescribing and treatment of certain conditions. The transition to QSPP brings all these elements together, streamlining standards which reflect the roles and functions of modern community pharmacies.
As well as aligning with contemporary healthcare principles, including the National Safety and Quality Primary and Community Healthcare Standards, QSPP is designed to help you manage risk and reduce administrative burden.
What does the change mean?
QSPP has been designed to better reflect the responsibilities and expectations of modern community pharmacy practice, with a stronger focus on clinical governance and patient safety. This evolution ensures community pharmacies are equipped with the high standards, rigour and support needed to deliver safe, high-quality care — now and into the future. The updated framework recognises the growing clinical role of pharmacists and provides clear, practical structures that help pharmacies adapt as new models of care emerge.
QSPP streamlines accreditation by reducing the framework from five domains to four, creating a holistic structure that aligns patient needs, professional responsibilities and operational challenges. This updated model is designed to drive improved outcomes for consumers and support the community pharmacy workforce. A tiered service assessment model will also be introduced, allowing accreditation to reflect the complexity and maturity of different service offerings. While the accreditation cycle will lengthen from two to three years, QSPP will provide community pharmacy owners with more regular touchpoints. This includes a virtual midcycle review to give pharmacies feedback, clarity and confidence as they work towards full assessment.
It’s worth flagging that QCPP will not disappear overnight. There will be a phased transition, and some pharmacies will continue operating under elements of QCPP until September 2029.
When is it happening?
Accreditation under QSPP will begin from October 1 2026. You’ll receive an update with details specific to your pharmacy’s transition to QSPP during May 2026.
