Community in the dark over pharmacy prescribing pilot

This media statement by the QLD Government announces the beginning of an Australian-first pharmacy pilot in north Queensland. The pilot aims to improve access to healthcare by allowing participating community pharmacists to treat and prescribe medicines for a range of common health conditions. The pilot will expand across the state over the next 12 months and continue until June 2026. Pharmacists need to complete specific education and training to be eligible to participate.

We take a look at the latest Skills Shortages Analysis by Jobs and Skills Australia, and what it means for the Australian Health Sector. We explore the 2023 Skills Priority List, looking specifically at Health Sector Occupations, including current nationwide and statewide workforce shortages, and predicted economy-wide future demand.

The Australian Medical Council (AMC) has released its Guidance Matrix which accompanies the 2023 Standards for Assessment and Accreditation of Primary Medical Programs (medical school standards). The document communicates AMC accreditation expectations for stakeholders, such as medical schools, assessment teams and reviewers. It includes ‘explanations’ of standards in plain English, examples of acceptable evidence, and expert resources. AMC also provides a User Guide and feedback form.

The latest Internet Vacancy Index (IVI) by Jobs and Skills Australia recorded 4% fewer health and medical job advertisements in April 2024 compared to March 2024, and 6% fewer job ads compared to a year ago. Declines were observed across all occupational categories. Despite the month-on-month and year-on-year declines, health sector job advertisements and vacancies continue at record levels. More details here.