The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia has welcomed the decision by Australian Health Workforce Ministerial Council to take into account submissions from the PSA and other organisations in deciding the full composition of the 10 national boards for the new National Registration and Accreditation Scheme for the Health Professions.

The Australian Health Workforce Ministerial Council Ministers revisited their decision taken in May this year and decided that six of the boards should be expanded to include eight practitioner members and four community members each. This enables a practitioner member from each of the eight jurisdictions to be members of these boards.

Acting President of the PSA, Grant Kardachi, said today that this was a key recommendation made by the PSA in its submission on the scheme. “The PSA in its submission on the exposure draft for the NRAS made it very clear that as far as the pharmacy profession was concerned, each jurisdiction had to be represented as practitioner members of the national board,” Mr Kardachi said. “The composition of the Board announced this week reflects this submission and PSA believes this will result in a more effective and robust National Registration and Accreditation Scheme for the Health Professions.

“The PSA continues to support the NRAS and believes that incorporating the recommendations made in the Societys submission will help to ensure the scheme operates to its full and desired potential.”

Mr Kardachi said one of the recommendations in the PSA submissions was that the Society be represented on the professional standards panel and health panel of the national (pharmacy) board.

“This is also an important step in ensuring that the national (pharmacy) board has the representation it needs to fulfil its functions in the best and most appropriate manner,” Mr Kardachi said.

“The PSA represents the professional interests of pharmacists across the nation. It provides standards of practice, education, training and practice support for pharmacists and helps members of the profession to deliver quality health care to consumers. It has more than 12,000 members across Australia. Clearly it is essential it be represented.

“PSA welcomes the decision by the Australian Health Workforce Ministerial Council and looks forward to more of its recommendations being Incorporated into the final working structure of the scheme.”

Source
Pharmaceutical Society of Australia