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Council news November 2025
President's spring message
In this edition, we continue our focus on areas of regulatory concern and have included articles on the mandatory requirements for medicinal cannabis supply, links to updates on NSW Pharmacist Vaccination Standards, National Vaccine Storage Guidelines, and the expanding scope of practice of NSW pharmacists.
Communication with our stakeholders is a key focus area for council. We do this through our newsletters, participation in industry events, and podcasts to highlight regulatory issues in NSW pharmacy practice. We also provide updates on council activities, reflections on complaints, professional standards and emerging industry trends.
Another important aspect of our communication approach is our annual information session at the Sydney Pharmacy Connect Conference, which I initiated when I was appointed to Council. This was our fourth time participating at the conference and I’d like to thank the organisers for their ongoing support each year.
Our information session focused on how to complete a best-practice submission for a pharmacy change of ownership, and it was great to see so many people attend. Following the presentation, the Council’s Executive Officer Mark Watson and I participated in a Q&A session, which was enthusiastically received. We also presented data on the improved application processing times for the vast majority of correctly submitted applications.
In 2026, as the scope expands in the NSW pharmacy profession, the regulatory role of the Pharmacy Council in upholding the highest practice standards becomes more critical. We’ll continue to support all practitioners and stakeholders through our regular communication around clinical issues which may raise regulatory concerns.
I encourage all practitioners, including intern pharmacists, to take a few minutes to read the articles below and become familiar with the updates. Please enjoy this edition of the newsletter.
Kind regards
Rick Samimi
President, Pharmacy Council of NSW
Targeting the unsafe supply of medicinal cannabis
The guidance on supply of prescribed medicinal cannabis on the Ahpra website builds on existing guidance about safe care, including the Board's code of conduct as well as virtual care. Ahpra and the National Boards have also published guidance on medicinal cannabis prescribing including:
- guidance from the Pharmacy Board of Australia (released on 23 September 2025) to help pharmacists meet their obligations when supplying prescribed medicinal cannabis
- information on poor practice in prescribing and supplying medicinal cannabis as well as surging patient demand, which poses a serious risk to patient safety
- putting pharmacists on notice as most medicinal cannabis is a Schedule 8 medicine and safe practice must apply
- how regulators are working together to understand prescribing and dispensing patterns to stay ahead of emerging trends.
For more information, please see Ahpra's article: Medicinal cannabis supply - Meeting your professional responsibilities.
New risk management guide now available for pharmacists
The Pharmacy Council of NSW greatly appreciates the efforts of all our stakeholders in supporting safe pharmacy practice and mitigating public risk. We wanted to let you know about the Pharmaceutical Defence Limited’s (PDL) new resource the PDL Risk Management Guide for Pharmacists.
This document is a valuable tool for risk management, supporting the induction of pharmacists and pharmacy staff across the spectrum of practice, as well as assisting those in leadership, governance, and ownership roles.
PDL acknowledges the availability and role of formally recognised standards, guidelines and resources that address professional practice and aspects of good clinical governance. But it believes there’s an opportunity to improve pharmacists' understanding of how to identify, assess and manage risk for the benefit of the public.
This document isn’t only suitable for minimising risk in practice. It can also be referred to by pharmacists following a near miss or incident to support reflective practice change.
The PDL Risk Management Guide for Pharmacists is organised into 4 modules, which can be read in sequence or accessed individually. The 4 modules are:
- Understanding risk in pharmacy practice
- Applying risk principles in practice
- Managing incidents
- Managing high-risk areas
Each one is accredited for CPD suitable for inclusion in an individual pharmacist’s CPD plan. Pharmacists can also complete further Group 3 CPD credits if they follow a defined list of actions that ultimately facilitate quality or practice improvement.
Many of PDL’s existing resources and insights from member calls and incidents are included. They provide broad guidance for greater risk awareness in the profession.
NSW Health updates
Stay updated on medicine regulations
The Pharmaceutical Services Unit (PSU) supports the safe and legal use of medicines in NSW. Please subscribe to receive the latest news, alerts, and notices from PSU to help you stay compliant and up-to-date with regulation of medicines in NSW.
Stock checks required for Schedule 8 medicines
The Pharmacy Council also reminds pharmacists about the requirements under the Poisons and Therapeutic Goods legislation including the Guides for pharmacists.
Refer to Section 8.6 of the Guide to Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Legislation for Pharmacists (TG79) relating to stock checks for Schedule 8 medicines.
Twice a year, in March and September, every person required to keep a drug register must carry out a full stock check of all drugs of addiction in their possession and keep a record. In the register immediately under the last entry on the relevant page they must write the date the check was made, with the words "balance on hand", the quantity held and then must sign the entry. Any person who assumes control of a practice for one month or more must perform a similar stock check irrespective of the time of the year.
We need your help to offer more vaccines to protect your community
Most vaccinations delivered in NSW community pharmacies continue to focus on influenza and COVID-19, primarily in adults. This means eligible patients are missing out on other important vaccines that pharmacist immunisers can administer as per the NSW Pharmacist Vaccination Standards. Don’t wait for the patient to ask, make full use of the scope and skills you’ve worked hard to gain. Please proactively start the conversation with patients about the full list of vaccines you can administer.
Advise patients not to store vaccines at home
Vaccines that are privately purchased and supplied to a patient to take to another provider such as a GP for administration, must be stored in accordance with the cold chain requirements as per the National Vaccine Storage Guidelines ‘Strive for 5’. There have been reports about patients who were advised to store prescribed vaccines in a fridge at their home after purchasing the vaccine from a pharmacy. This advice may result in potentially ineffective vaccines being administered. With this in mind, please supply the vaccines to patients only before their immunisation appointment as per Section 6.2 of the updated National Vaccine Storage Guidelines ‘Strive for 5
National Immunisation Program (NIP) and state funded vaccines are free for eligible patients
Health Protection NSW has received reports from members of the public about being charged by community pharmacies for the supply and administration of NIP vaccines. Eligible patients shouldn’t be charged for NIP and state-funded vaccines as they are provided free. The Australian Government funds pharmacists to administer NIP vaccines to people aged 5 years and over. Pharmacists can apply for reimbursement through the National Immunisation Program Vaccinations in Pharmacy (NIPVIP).
NSW Health Pharmacy Connections team
Update your expanded-scope pharmacy services
The NSW Health Pharmacy Connections team is working to enhance consumer access to community pharmacy services in NSW, focusing on connecting pharmacies that deliver an expanded scope of services. This work is part of the NSW Single Front Door emergency department relief initiative. Learn more below about how to update your details in the Healthdirect Service Finder.
Healthdirect helps people access care
Healthdirect is the national, government-funded information service that operates the helpline and digital tools. Healthdirect assists consumers to access timely, clinically appropriate services for urgent and unplanned health needs. The National Health Services Directory (NHSD) and Service Finder tool enable consumers to search for local health service providers.
In the past 6 months, more than 165,000 searches in the Service Finder were for a pharmacy. Nurse referrals through the Healthdirect helpline use the Service Finder to refer consumers to appropriate health service providers.
Time to update your Healthdirect Service Finder listing
To make sure patients can be referred to local pharmacies in their area, please update your Service Finder listing so it captures all the services you offer. This will help people in your local area to be safely and quickly referred to your pharmacy for services.
As NSW pharmacists and pharmacies are offering expanded scope services such as management of urinary tract infections, resupplying oral contraceptives and management of certain minor skin conditions, it’s important to maintain an accurate and current listing on the Healthdirect Service Finder. This is also a legal requirement under each NSW Class Authority granted for each expanded scope service.
Recent changes to the Service Finder tool allows for easier updating of listing details, and enhanced consumer search functions. NSW Health strongly encourages pharmacies to regularly review and update their listings to ensure service accuracy and to help consumers connect with local care.
The NSW Ministry of Health Pharmacy Connections team will be contacting all registered pharmacies in NSW via email and follow-up phone calls over the coming months to offer support in updating the healthdirect Service Finder listings.
For more information about your listing visit the NSW Health website or email MOH-PharmacyConnections@health.nsw.gov.au
