What is the one thing pharmacy owners and teams should do now to prepare for the transition from QCPP to QSPP?
The primary thing for owners and teams is to start familiarising themselves with the materials and the requirements of the new standard. All of the information is available on the QSPP Portal and Knowledge Hub, but people will be locked out if they haven’t activated multi-factor authentication. Those MFA details were sent at the end of May, and the vast majority of people have not yet activated it. Once MFA is activated, they can access the User Assessment Guide and the mapping exercises that show what’s new, what’s the same, and where to focus their efforts.
The earlier pharmacies start implementing the changes and compiling evidence, the easier it will be at assessment time. There is also a staff component to this. QSPP is no longer a one‑person job. Pharmacies need to educate staff on the new requirements and involve them in decision‑making to support cultural alignment.
What are the key changes between QCPP and QSPP?
When pharmacy teams read the User Assessment Guide, they will find that much of it is familiar. The major differences are in clinical governance, patient safety and patient engagement. These areas will require new systems and processes.
Clinical governance is something pharmacies inherently do, but they don’t usually document it. Under QSPP, pharmacies need to be more structured and overt in how they implement, demonstrate and measure their systems and outcomes.
Patient engagement is also a shift from the usual way of doing business. Meeting the requirements at an individual pharmacy level can be difficult, so support will come from groups and PGA branches.
The accreditation cycle has moved from two years to three. Pharmacies must now demonstrate that their systems and processes are embedded in everyday practice. Presenting a file of policies and procedures is no longer sufficient; evidence of real world implementation is required.
Many pharmacists hear the term ‘clinical governance’ but aren’t always sure what it means in practice. What does it mean under QSPP?
Clinical governance means closing the loop between what pharmacies do and the outcomes they achieve. It applies to anything patient‑facing. In the context of a clinical service, it involves design, implementation, measurement and review, in a continuous loop with the patient at the centre.
The patient is involved in the first three stages. Clinicians then review the results to assess what can be improved and implement those changes. Providing evidence of how these steps are carried out forms the basis of QSPP assessment.
As a pharmacy owner yourself, how are you preparing for QSPP, and what advice would you give other owners?
I am doing all of the things I recommend others do. Start with the low‑hanging fruit — the elements that are common between QCPP and QSPP, particularly Domain Four. Working through the familiar components first helps build momentum before moving into areas that require more thought.
Systematically ticking off the familiar elements provides clarity on what needs to be changed and what is new. I have been delegating tasks to my pharmacists, partly because I don’t have time to do everything, but also to involve them in understanding the new program and the assessment elements. Their involvement builds buy‑in and ownership.
I am updating my recording system and finding digital solutions that link everything together. If I change something in one place and it updates elsewhere, it reduces the workload significantly. My assessment is in October, so I am working at pace. Pharmacies with more time should use it wisely. Starting now and taking a stepwise approach will make the transition easier and less daunting.
Many pharmacy owners view accreditation as a compliance requirement. Why is QSPP accreditation becoming increasingly important for the future of community pharmacy?
It is important to start thinking about QSPP as business as usual, not as a compliance tool or something considered every few years. Quality and safety need to be embedded in everyday practice and at the forefront of decision‑making.
Healthcare consumers are now more informed, and they expect these standards. Pharmacy also needs to align with the quality and safety practices of other healthcare professions. The Australian Community Standard, AS 85000:2024, is closely aligned with the National Safety and Quality Primary and Community Healthcare Standards. This alignment helps pharmacies demonstrate quality outcomes to regulators and funders.
Future funding opportunities will come when pharmacy can prove, with data, that it delivers care equal to or better than existing levels of care. Strong data will support negotiations for better funding and potentially an expanded range of services.
