Guidelines on safe provision of pharmacy services released

New guidelines supporting safe practice by pharmacists delivering pharmacy services have been released by the Pharmacy Board of Australia. The guidelines will come into effect on 1 October 2026.

The new Guidelines on the safe provision of pharmacy services including medicines and advice (the Guidelines) set out the Board’s expectations of pharmacists in relation to the provision of pharmacy services, including medicines and advice. Key changes to previous guidelines include:

• Consolidation into one set of guidelines with four focus areas:
  
  • leadership/management in practice
  • supporting informed patient choice
  • confidentiality and privacy
  • communication in practice
• A clearer focus on the importance of cultural safety in the safe provision of services, and
• Updates to reflect contemporary practice.

They are designed to work in accordance with other relevant professional practice standards, legislation and other guidelines published by the Board, as well as the shared Code of conduct.

The Board has also published supporting resources, including a suite of practice scenarios that illustrate how the guidelines can be applied in day-to-day practice across different settings.

Extensive consultation was conducted with pharmacists, professional bodies and the public to inform the development of the new Guidelines. The Board would like to thank everyone who participated in the consultation and helped the new Guidelines reflect contemporary practice and community expectations.

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