Ruth Cooper
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[post_content] => Vaccination is one of the most cost-effective and life-saving health interventions, saving over 150 million lives worldwide in the last half century.
In Australia, we’re lucky enough to have enhanced vaccination access via the National Immunisation Program (NIP).
Between 2005 and 2015, the overall burden of illness, disability and premature death from the 17 vaccine-preventable diseases covered under the NIP fell by 30%.
Yet since the COVID-19 pandemic, vaccination rates have continued to drop – particularly in vulnerable groups.
Pharmacist immunisers, who have recently become significant contributors to Australia’s vaccination effort, now have a unique opportunity to build on this success and turn things around, David Laffan – Assistant Secretary, Immunisation Access and Engagement at the federal Department of Health, Disability and Ageing – told delegates at PSA25 last week.
‘Pharmacies in Australia have provided over 13% of all vaccinations administered in 2024–25 – and a double-digit share of many of them,’ he said.
Here, Australian Pharmacist highlights the impact pharmacists have had on vaccination rates, and where we can grow even further.
Record number of COVID-19 vaccinations administered by pharmacists
The two largest vaccinations by volume provided by pharmacies are influenza and COVID-19, Mr Laffan said.
While COVID-19 vaccination rates in the general population remain low – with only 9% coverage over the past 12 months – pharmacists have administered a substantial proportion of those doses.
‘Vaccination rates in June 2025 for the COVID-19 Vaccination in Community Pharmacy (CVCP) Program were the highest they've been since the first half of 2023,’ he said.
Pharmacists overtake GPs as aged care vaccinators
Pharmacists have played a significant role in increasing vaccination rates for aged care residents, who are particularly vulnerable to severe complications, hospitalisation and death.
‘This year, 59% of residents over the age of 75 received a COVID-19 dose in the last 6 months, a big increase from less than 40% a year ago,’ Mr Laffan said.
In May this year, pharmacists delivered over 41% of COVID-19 vaccinations in residential aged care homes, compared to 38% administered by GPs.
‘So for the first time, pharmacists have provided more COVID-19 vaccines in residential aged care than general practitioners,’ he said.
While co-administration of COVID-19 and influenza vaccines has been encouraged, it has not been enthusiastically embraced by the public.
‘This winter, only about one in four COVID-19 and flu vaccines were co-administered,’ Mr Laffan said. ‘So there's also an opportunity there.’
Come November, when the new Aged Care Act will commence, offering COVID-19 and influenza vaccines will become a registration requirement.
‘Aged care providers will also be required to offer their residents shingles and pneumococcal vaccines if they're eligible under the NIP.’
RSV vaccination program heralded a success
The new maternal RSV program, launched in February 2025, has had strong uptake – significantly reducing the burden of disease.
‘Early data indicates about 60% of pregnant women are accessing the maternal vaccine and about a further 20% accessing the monoclonal antibody offered by the states and territories after birth,’ Mr Laffan said.
Maternal immunisation reduces the risk of severe RSV disease in infants under 6 months of age by around 70%.
‘These immunisations being made available through the RSV program are estimated to keep 10,000 infants out of hospital each year, and we've already seen a 40% reduction in RSV notifications for young children since the introduction of the [the program],’ he said. ‘That's an incredible success.’
Concerning fall in vaccination rates across age groups
Despite these recent successes, immunisation rates for many vaccines are low or falling. In fact, every childhood vaccine on the NIP schedule has lower uptake in 2024 than 2020.
‘This decline means that this year, there will be an additional 15,000 babies unvaccinated compared to pre-COVID immunisation rates,’ Mr Laffan said.
Mistrust, fuelled by misinformation and disinformation, has contributed significantly to vaccine hesitancy.
And it’s not childhood vaccination rates that are in decline. The preliminary findings from the National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance’s annual immunisation coverage report found that adolescent vaccination rates are also particularly low.
‘For example, only 70% of children turning 17 have received a meningococcal vaccination in 2024,’ he said.
‘Older people are at high risk of infection and serious illness, yet only a third are vaccinated for shingles and less than half are vaccinated for pneumococcal.’
The rates of vaccination in First Nations’ children are even lower in the 1 year and 2 year old cohorts. Similarly, human papillomavirus coverage rates are declining – except for a spike in 2022–23 caused by the move to a single-dose schedule.
‘There is a significant opportunity for community pharmacy to assist in lifting these rates,’ Mr Laffan added.
NIPVIP could be the saving grace
The NCIRS interim report highlighted that key barriers to vaccination uptake in children include difficulty of access and cost.
Since its inception on 1 January 2024, the National Immunisation Program Vaccinations in Pharmacy is helping to break down these barriers.
‘Opening up NIP vaccines to community pharmacies has been a really important step in improving equity,’ Mr Laffan said.
‘The NIPVIP program has improved access by enabling community pharmacies to significantly increase the number of sites that can vaccinate. In turn, consumers benefit from the convenience of your locations. This also further represents an area of significant growth potential.’
NIPVIP vaccinations are up almost 50% from 2024, demonstrating the capacity for growth for pharmacy vaccinations.
‘[In] NIPVIP’s first month of operation, pharmacies claimed 1,400 vaccination services,’ he said. ‘Since then, nearly 34 million vaccinations have been provided and over 4,750 pharmacies have registered for NIPVIP.’
And the NIPVIP program is only set to expand
The increase in this year's winter vaccinations are in part attributable to the uptick in NIPVIP participation – and pharmacies becoming more recognised and accepted as trusted NIP vaccination providers.
Federal Minister for Health, Disability and Ageing Mark Butler hinted that the program is set to expand when launching the National Immunisation Strategy for Australia 2025–2030 in June this year.
‘One of the goals within the strategy is to harmonise relevant workforce policies, training and accreditation across all states and territories, Mr Laffan said. ‘And part of this priority involves developing strategies to safely enable health professionals, including community pharmacists, to work to their full scope of practice, which the NIP helps to facilitate.’
The department is also working to harmonise NIPVIP and CVCP to ensure vaccination is embedded into routine primary care service delivery following Australia exiting the emergency stage of the pandemic – including aligning payment rates.
‘I know from many of my conversations with you that you are looking forward to having one less ordering system to deal with when it comes to COVID-19 vaccines, so we'll continue to harmonise the programs and look at ways to streamline systems and reduce barriers,’ he said.
Community pharmacies are recognised as providing a vital channel of access to vaccinations, with work underway to operationalise the National Immunisation strategy through a National implementation plan.
‘This plan is about collaboration across governments, sectors and communities to drive improved vaccination outcomes … to ensure that every Australian has equitable access to life-saving vaccines,’ Mr Laffan said.
‘To this end, I've invited the PSA to engage with the department about future vaccination priorities … to ensure that the profession has a say in future government considerations.’
[post_title] => Pharmacists are driving an increase in vaccination rates, says vaccine expert
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[post_content] => A record 38 pharmacists have been inducted as Fellows of the PSA at the annual Fellows Dinner, recognising leadership, advocacy, and service to the profession over an extended period.
PSA National President Associate Professor Fei Sim FPS congratulated the 2025 cohort, saying: ‘This year’s Fellows showcase the passion, leadership and drive for excellence that define our profession’.
‘Being awarded Fellowship is a recognition of the sustained and outstanding contributions many pharmacists make to PSA and the broader pharmacy profession.
‘On behalf of PSA, I extend my congratulations to each of these remarkable pharmacists, and thank them for their enduring service and dedication to driving our profession forward.’
In addition to 38 Fellows, PSA has also recognised Rhonda White AO and Terry White AO as PSA Life Fellows.
‘In particular I’d like to acknowledge and congratulate Rhonda and Terry White, two stalwarts of Australian pharmacy who we are proud to recognise as Life Fellows of the PSA.
‘Together, Terry and Rhonda have changed the course of Australian pharmacy, championing accessible, patient-centred care and inspiring generations of pharmacists through their leadership.
‘PSA is proud to honour their lifelong dedication to community pharmacy.’
Among the 2025 cohort are a number of PSA staff who have had a significant impact on the pharmacy profession.
‘The PSA team are the backbone of our organisation, working unbelievably hard to support pharmacists across the country. For these members of our team, who are also pharmacists themselves, the drive to make an impact on their profession is particularly strong.
‘Congratulations to Caroyln, Claire, Chris, Quyen, Peter, Jarrod, Kay, Helen and Ella, these recognitions are very well deserved,’ A/Prof Sim said.
Full list of PSA Fellows inducted in 2025:
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[post_content] => PSA’s biggest ever national conference wrapped on Sunday 3 August after 3 full days of learning and networking.
The rainy weather didn’t stop more than 1,200 pharmacists from all areas of practice and corners of the country coming together at Sydney’s International Convention Centre (ICC) to further their knowledge and practice with Australia’s leading pharmacy voices.
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If you weren't able to make it down to the conference, Australian Pharmacist has captured some of the best moments.
WA student clinches 2025 Pharmacy Student of the Year
Curtin University student Maxime Watts took out the 2025 PSA Viatris Pharmacy Student of the Year (PSOTY) award, as well as the People’s Choice award – as voted by PSA25 delegates.
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‘I feel incredibly grateful to receive this recognition,’ Ms Waters told AP. ‘Pharmacy has become something I’m genuinely passionate about, and to have my work acknowledged in this way means so much. I’m looking forward to starting my career and continuing to learn within such a supportive profession.’
Seeing the next generation of pharmacists showcase their skills is a highlight of the PSA national conference, said PSA National President Associate Professor Fei Sim FPS.
‘These are our future pharmacists, our future leaders, and I must say I’m very confident our profession is in good hands,’ she said.
‘Each of the students who participated in the PSOTY competition has demonstrated impressive professionalism, skill, and dedication. On behalf of PSA, I wish them all the best in what I’m sure will be successful and rewarding careers as pharmacists.’
Pharmacist glitterati dazzle at the Gala Dinner
Pharmacists donned sequins, sparkles and feathers at Saturday night’s gala dinner, themed carnivàle.
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Delegates were transported to downtown Rio, with professional dancers putting on a colorful and acrobatic display – before hitting the dance floor to show off their own moves.
See if you can spot your friends and colleagues in the crowd.
Closing out PSA’s biggest conference ever
To cap off the weekend, PSA and the Australasian Pharmaceutical Science Association (APSA) presented the Outstanding Poster Presentation to Jade Swarbrick for her presentation ADHD in GP settings. The Outstanding Oral Presentation went to Kym Ramsey for his presentation Utilising rural community pharmacists to screen for chronic diseases.
PSA and PDL once again joined forces to present the 2025 Volunteer of the Year Award to Madeline Scarlett, as voted by PSA25 delegates, in recognition of her positivity and helpfulness across the weekend.
Closing the event, PSA National President Associate Professor Fei Sim FPS highlighted the significance of PSA membership reaching 20,000 for the first time – reflecting the growing confidence pharmacists have in PSA as their professional home.
‘Every year I leave this conference feeling a renewed sense of belonging and passion for this profession,’ she said.
‘Thank you to everyone who made PSA25 a success – our delegates, volunteers, branch committees, staff, speakers and partners – I’m truly inspired by every single one of you.
‘Whether you’re a student, early career pharmacist, or seasoned practitioner, PSA is proud to be your professional home, giving you the tools and the support you need to build the pharmacy career you want.’
See you all again next year at PSA26, held in Sydney at the ICC from Friday 31 July to Sunday 2 August.
[post_title] => Rain fails to dampen PSA’s most successful conference yet
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[title_attribute] => Rain fails to dampen PSA’s most successful conference yet
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[post_content] => To ensure PBS claiming practices are compliant, ethical and audit-ready, here’s what every pharmacist should know.
Navigating the legislative and regulatory requirements of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) can be challenging. Yet staying informed and compliant is essential to avoid penalties and safeguard public funding.
‘The systems we use to detect non-compliance are continually evolving,’ Karen Prstec, Director of the PBS Compliance Section of the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, told delegates at the PSA25 session Stay compliant! Your guide to PBS claiming.
‘We don’t rely solely on digital data; we also investigate non-compliance through calls to doctors, patients and pharmacists.’
What are common compliance breaches?
Compliance safeguards the sustainability of the PBS, with pharmacists acting as the ethical gatekeepers of the scheme to ensure public funds are spent appropriately.
While significant fraud is relatively rare, everyday breaches of the National Health Act 1953 and the National Health (Pharmaceutical Benefits) Regulations 2017 are surprisingly frequent.
These include ‘forward dispensing’ – when the pharmacist anticipates the patient coming in and dispenses ahead of request – claiming unused repeats and unauthorised repeats.
Of these, forward dispensing remains the most common – but non-compliant – practice, said Assistant Director of the PBS Compliance Section Hyunji Yoon, who co-presented the session with Mrs Prstec.
‘The dispensed medication then sits on the shelf and, sometimes, when the patient doesn’t collect it, the claim for supply is still submitted.’
If uncollected medications still remain in the pharmacy, pharmacists must cancel those PBS claims, advised Mrs Prstec. ‘You can’t just put the medicine back on the shelf and receive the money, but you would be surprised how many times we see that happening in practice.’
A breach of legislation for claims for unused repeats may occur when a patient changes their treatment, for example. ‘Perhaps the patient is on a certain drug for depression and that doesn’t work so the doctor prescribes a new medicine,’ Ms Yoon said.
‘The patient may keep their prescription at the pharmacy, the pharmacist decides why waste the prescription so pushes it through and claims for payment, although supply did not occur.’
Unauthorised repeats may result from patient requests for additional repeats, which were not authorised by the prescriber and the pharmacist fails to obtain authorisation from the prescriber.
The PBS Compliance Section has also detected cases of claims submitted for medicines removed from circulation. ‘That is a major red flag and supply may result in criminal charges,’ Mrs Prstec said.
She told delegates: ‘At the end of the day the PBS is built on supply. If a medicine hasn't been dispensed and supplied to a patient – with a valid prescription, in accordance with the medical practitioner’s instructions – then claiming is non-compliant. Those are the very simple foundations.’
What can get your PBS approval cancelled, and worse?
Systemic non-compliance can lead to criminal prosecution and custodial sentences, financial recovery, loss of PBS approval, reputational damage and disciplinary action.
For example, one pharmacy submitted a large volume of claims using the same authority prescription ID and authority approval ID for prescriptions for different patients and medicines.
The heart medicine Entresto, which attracts a PBS benefit of $100.59, was claimed using authority approval ID 04492022 in 2022. That same approval ID was then used to claim cladribine (a high-value medicine worth $29,000 in PBS benefits) for two different patients in 2024 totalling $117,140 in overpayments of PBS benefits. Over a 30-month period, from January 2022 to June 2024, this pattern of misuse resulted in $1.6M in PBS benefits being overpaid to the pharmacy.
‘This case highlights a serious non-compliant behaviour as authority approval IDs are unique to each prescription,’ Mrs Prstec said. ‘This pharmacist had their PBS approval revoked as a result.’
In another case, four pharmacies, all owned by the same pharmacist, submitted PBS claims for the same prescription for the same patient. ‘Interestingly all these duplicated claims were for high-value items with over $1,000 in PBS benefits,’ she said.
Duodopa gel, a high-cost treatment used in advanced Parkinson’s disease that attracts over $5,000 in PBS benefits, was claimed by all four pharmacies each time a patient presented a prescription for supply at one of those pharmacies. The highest claimed medicine by volume of claims and total government repayment amount was the cancer medicine ibrutinib – totalling 23 claims.
‘This behaviour resulted in a total of $607,000 in PBS benefits being overpaid over a 30-month period,’ Ms Yoon said. ‘Duplicate claiming is not only non-compliant, but also deceptive and undermines the integrity of the PBS. So this pharmacist’s PBS approval was revoked.’
How can pharmacists report non-compliance?
Pharmacists who identify genuine errors may voluntarily acknowledge the issue and repay the incorrect amounts. ‘If something doesn’t seem right, pharmacists should consult the legislation or PBS guidelines,’ Ms Yoon advised.
Tip-offs regarding non-compliance can be submitted anonymously by pharmacy staff, patients, or state regulators. Reports can be made to the Provider Benefits Integrity Hotline 1800 314 808 or online via the Department's Tip-off form.
Providing as much specific information as possible, such as copies of labels or receipts, greatly assists investigations.
Best practice in PBS supply and claiming
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[post_content] => The PSA25 social calendar is always jam packed. And this year, at the biggest national conference yet, certainly didn’t disappoint.
After last night’s networking event in the jam-packed exhibition hall, factions of pharmacists broke off to attend the Fellows Dinner or the renowned ECP party – with some reconvening again at the Members-only breakfast this morning.
Your trusty Australian Pharmacists reporters made the rounds this morning to document the night shenanigans in words and pictures.
Mixing friends and formulas
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What better way to let your hair down after a day of learning that at PSA25 networking event. Pharmacists milled about in the exhibition hall, catching up with colleagues over nibbles and canapés.
‘It's wonderful connecting with friends,’ said Stephanie Johnston FPS.
ECP’s let their hair down
Last night, ECPs got their glow on the Cafe Del Mar – chatting about all things pharmacy in between busting a move.
[gallery type="flexslider" size="full" ids="30075,30077,30076,30074,30073"]
The best part of the ECP party was meeting and networking with other like-minded young pharmacists, said Hannah Barakat MPS, Pharmacy Manager at Bendigo UFS Hargrave Street.
‘I find it really reinvigorating to meeting other people doing fabulous things. It reinforces why I wanted to be a pharmacist!’ she said.
‘It's so good to meet other pharmacists who enjoy being pharmacists and want to do better,’ agreed Katelyn Beattie, the 2025 Victorian Intern Pharmacist of the Year.
‘Reconnecting with people we have met at NAPSA and seeing what they are all doing now. I want to be there (at the ECP party) to soak it up!’
Breakfast with PSA’s national president
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Pharmacists rose early to catch breakfast with PSA’s national president, Associate Professor Fei Sim FPS and PSA’s General Manager for Policy and Program Delivery Chris Campbell FPS. At this annual event, PSA members get the opportunity to ask PSA leadership about the direction of the profession and how PSA is steering pharmacists towards it.
New fellows
A highlight of the fellows dinner was the review of fellows and the number of new inductees, said pharmacy legend John Bell FPS.
‘The younger fellows are from a broad range of practice settings, academia, hospital and community, and PSA employees recognised for their contributions over a number of years,’ he said.
[post_title] => PSA25: the place to be!
[post_excerpt] => The PSA25 social calendar is always jam packed. And this year, at the biggest national conference yet, certainly didn’t disappoint.
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[post_content] => Vaccination is one of the most cost-effective and life-saving health interventions, saving over 150 million lives worldwide in the last half century.
In Australia, we’re lucky enough to have enhanced vaccination access via the National Immunisation Program (NIP).
Between 2005 and 2015, the overall burden of illness, disability and premature death from the 17 vaccine-preventable diseases covered under the NIP fell by 30%.
Yet since the COVID-19 pandemic, vaccination rates have continued to drop – particularly in vulnerable groups.
Pharmacist immunisers, who have recently become significant contributors to Australia’s vaccination effort, now have a unique opportunity to build on this success and turn things around, David Laffan – Assistant Secretary, Immunisation Access and Engagement at the federal Department of Health, Disability and Ageing – told delegates at PSA25 last week.
‘Pharmacies in Australia have provided over 13% of all vaccinations administered in 2024–25 – and a double-digit share of many of them,’ he said.
Here, Australian Pharmacist highlights the impact pharmacists have had on vaccination rates, and where we can grow even further.
Record number of COVID-19 vaccinations administered by pharmacists
The two largest vaccinations by volume provided by pharmacies are influenza and COVID-19, Mr Laffan said.
While COVID-19 vaccination rates in the general population remain low – with only 9% coverage over the past 12 months – pharmacists have administered a substantial proportion of those doses.
‘Vaccination rates in June 2025 for the COVID-19 Vaccination in Community Pharmacy (CVCP) Program were the highest they've been since the first half of 2023,’ he said.
Pharmacists overtake GPs as aged care vaccinators
Pharmacists have played a significant role in increasing vaccination rates for aged care residents, who are particularly vulnerable to severe complications, hospitalisation and death.
‘This year, 59% of residents over the age of 75 received a COVID-19 dose in the last 6 months, a big increase from less than 40% a year ago,’ Mr Laffan said.
In May this year, pharmacists delivered over 41% of COVID-19 vaccinations in residential aged care homes, compared to 38% administered by GPs.
‘So for the first time, pharmacists have provided more COVID-19 vaccines in residential aged care than general practitioners,’ he said.
While co-administration of COVID-19 and influenza vaccines has been encouraged, it has not been enthusiastically embraced by the public.
‘This winter, only about one in four COVID-19 and flu vaccines were co-administered,’ Mr Laffan said. ‘So there's also an opportunity there.’
Come November, when the new Aged Care Act will commence, offering COVID-19 and influenza vaccines will become a registration requirement.
‘Aged care providers will also be required to offer their residents shingles and pneumococcal vaccines if they're eligible under the NIP.’
RSV vaccination program heralded a success
The new maternal RSV program, launched in February 2025, has had strong uptake – significantly reducing the burden of disease.
‘Early data indicates about 60% of pregnant women are accessing the maternal vaccine and about a further 20% accessing the monoclonal antibody offered by the states and territories after birth,’ Mr Laffan said.
Maternal immunisation reduces the risk of severe RSV disease in infants under 6 months of age by around 70%.
‘These immunisations being made available through the RSV program are estimated to keep 10,000 infants out of hospital each year, and we've already seen a 40% reduction in RSV notifications for young children since the introduction of the [the program],’ he said. ‘That's an incredible success.’
Concerning fall in vaccination rates across age groups
Despite these recent successes, immunisation rates for many vaccines are low or falling. In fact, every childhood vaccine on the NIP schedule has lower uptake in 2024 than 2020.
‘This decline means that this year, there will be an additional 15,000 babies unvaccinated compared to pre-COVID immunisation rates,’ Mr Laffan said.
Mistrust, fuelled by misinformation and disinformation, has contributed significantly to vaccine hesitancy.
And it’s not childhood vaccination rates that are in decline. The preliminary findings from the National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance’s annual immunisation coverage report found that adolescent vaccination rates are also particularly low.
‘For example, only 70% of children turning 17 have received a meningococcal vaccination in 2024,’ he said.
‘Older people are at high risk of infection and serious illness, yet only a third are vaccinated for shingles and less than half are vaccinated for pneumococcal.’
The rates of vaccination in First Nations’ children are even lower in the 1 year and 2 year old cohorts. Similarly, human papillomavirus coverage rates are declining – except for a spike in 2022–23 caused by the move to a single-dose schedule.
‘There is a significant opportunity for community pharmacy to assist in lifting these rates,’ Mr Laffan added.
NIPVIP could be the saving grace
The NCIRS interim report highlighted that key barriers to vaccination uptake in children include difficulty of access and cost.
Since its inception on 1 January 2024, the National Immunisation Program Vaccinations in Pharmacy is helping to break down these barriers.
‘Opening up NIP vaccines to community pharmacies has been a really important step in improving equity,’ Mr Laffan said.
‘The NIPVIP program has improved access by enabling community pharmacies to significantly increase the number of sites that can vaccinate. In turn, consumers benefit from the convenience of your locations. This also further represents an area of significant growth potential.’
NIPVIP vaccinations are up almost 50% from 2024, demonstrating the capacity for growth for pharmacy vaccinations.
‘[In] NIPVIP’s first month of operation, pharmacies claimed 1,400 vaccination services,’ he said. ‘Since then, nearly 34 million vaccinations have been provided and over 4,750 pharmacies have registered for NIPVIP.’
And the NIPVIP program is only set to expand
The increase in this year's winter vaccinations are in part attributable to the uptick in NIPVIP participation – and pharmacies becoming more recognised and accepted as trusted NIP vaccination providers.
Federal Minister for Health, Disability and Ageing Mark Butler hinted that the program is set to expand when launching the National Immunisation Strategy for Australia 2025–2030 in June this year.
‘One of the goals within the strategy is to harmonise relevant workforce policies, training and accreditation across all states and territories, Mr Laffan said. ‘And part of this priority involves developing strategies to safely enable health professionals, including community pharmacists, to work to their full scope of practice, which the NIP helps to facilitate.’
The department is also working to harmonise NIPVIP and CVCP to ensure vaccination is embedded into routine primary care service delivery following Australia exiting the emergency stage of the pandemic – including aligning payment rates.
‘I know from many of my conversations with you that you are looking forward to having one less ordering system to deal with when it comes to COVID-19 vaccines, so we'll continue to harmonise the programs and look at ways to streamline systems and reduce barriers,’ he said.
Community pharmacies are recognised as providing a vital channel of access to vaccinations, with work underway to operationalise the National Immunisation strategy through a National implementation plan.
‘This plan is about collaboration across governments, sectors and communities to drive improved vaccination outcomes … to ensure that every Australian has equitable access to life-saving vaccines,’ Mr Laffan said.
‘To this end, I've invited the PSA to engage with the department about future vaccination priorities … to ensure that the profession has a say in future government considerations.’
[post_title] => Pharmacists are driving an increase in vaccination rates, says vaccine expert
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[title_attribute] => Pharmacists are driving an increase in vaccination rates, says vaccine expert
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[post_content] => A record 38 pharmacists have been inducted as Fellows of the PSA at the annual Fellows Dinner, recognising leadership, advocacy, and service to the profession over an extended period.
PSA National President Associate Professor Fei Sim FPS congratulated the 2025 cohort, saying: ‘This year’s Fellows showcase the passion, leadership and drive for excellence that define our profession’.
‘Being awarded Fellowship is a recognition of the sustained and outstanding contributions many pharmacists make to PSA and the broader pharmacy profession.
‘On behalf of PSA, I extend my congratulations to each of these remarkable pharmacists, and thank them for their enduring service and dedication to driving our profession forward.’
In addition to 38 Fellows, PSA has also recognised Rhonda White AO and Terry White AO as PSA Life Fellows.
‘In particular I’d like to acknowledge and congratulate Rhonda and Terry White, two stalwarts of Australian pharmacy who we are proud to recognise as Life Fellows of the PSA.
‘Together, Terry and Rhonda have changed the course of Australian pharmacy, championing accessible, patient-centred care and inspiring generations of pharmacists through their leadership.
‘PSA is proud to honour their lifelong dedication to community pharmacy.’
Among the 2025 cohort are a number of PSA staff who have had a significant impact on the pharmacy profession.
‘The PSA team are the backbone of our organisation, working unbelievably hard to support pharmacists across the country. For these members of our team, who are also pharmacists themselves, the drive to make an impact on their profession is particularly strong.
‘Congratulations to Caroyln, Claire, Chris, Quyen, Peter, Jarrod, Kay, Helen and Ella, these recognitions are very well deserved,’ A/Prof Sim said.
Full list of PSA Fellows inducted in 2025:
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[post_content] => PSA’s biggest ever national conference wrapped on Sunday 3 August after 3 full days of learning and networking.
The rainy weather didn’t stop more than 1,200 pharmacists from all areas of practice and corners of the country coming together at Sydney’s International Convention Centre (ICC) to further their knowledge and practice with Australia’s leading pharmacy voices.
[gallery type="flexslider" size="full" ids="30118,30113,30115,30116,30117,30119"]
If you weren't able to make it down to the conference, Australian Pharmacist has captured some of the best moments.
WA student clinches 2025 Pharmacy Student of the Year
Curtin University student Maxime Watts took out the 2025 PSA Viatris Pharmacy Student of the Year (PSOTY) award, as well as the People’s Choice award – as voted by PSA25 delegates.
[gallery type="flexslider" size="full" ids="30105,30106"]
‘I feel incredibly grateful to receive this recognition,’ Ms Waters told AP. ‘Pharmacy has become something I’m genuinely passionate about, and to have my work acknowledged in this way means so much. I’m looking forward to starting my career and continuing to learn within such a supportive profession.’
Seeing the next generation of pharmacists showcase their skills is a highlight of the PSA national conference, said PSA National President Associate Professor Fei Sim FPS.
‘These are our future pharmacists, our future leaders, and I must say I’m very confident our profession is in good hands,’ she said.
‘Each of the students who participated in the PSOTY competition has demonstrated impressive professionalism, skill, and dedication. On behalf of PSA, I wish them all the best in what I’m sure will be successful and rewarding careers as pharmacists.’
Pharmacist glitterati dazzle at the Gala Dinner
Pharmacists donned sequins, sparkles and feathers at Saturday night’s gala dinner, themed carnivàle.
[gallery type="flexslider" size="full" ids="30103,30104,30107,30108,30109,30110,30111"]
Delegates were transported to downtown Rio, with professional dancers putting on a colorful and acrobatic display – before hitting the dance floor to show off their own moves.
See if you can spot your friends and colleagues in the crowd.
Closing out PSA’s biggest conference ever
To cap off the weekend, PSA and the Australasian Pharmaceutical Science Association (APSA) presented the Outstanding Poster Presentation to Jade Swarbrick for her presentation ADHD in GP settings. The Outstanding Oral Presentation went to Kym Ramsey for his presentation Utilising rural community pharmacists to screen for chronic diseases.
PSA and PDL once again joined forces to present the 2025 Volunteer of the Year Award to Madeline Scarlett, as voted by PSA25 delegates, in recognition of her positivity and helpfulness across the weekend.
Closing the event, PSA National President Associate Professor Fei Sim FPS highlighted the significance of PSA membership reaching 20,000 for the first time – reflecting the growing confidence pharmacists have in PSA as their professional home.
‘Every year I leave this conference feeling a renewed sense of belonging and passion for this profession,’ she said.
‘Thank you to everyone who made PSA25 a success – our delegates, volunteers, branch committees, staff, speakers and partners – I’m truly inspired by every single one of you.
‘Whether you’re a student, early career pharmacist, or seasoned practitioner, PSA is proud to be your professional home, giving you the tools and the support you need to build the pharmacy career you want.’
See you all again next year at PSA26, held in Sydney at the ICC from Friday 31 July to Sunday 2 August.
[post_title] => Rain fails to dampen PSA’s most successful conference yet
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[post_content] => To ensure PBS claiming practices are compliant, ethical and audit-ready, here’s what every pharmacist should know.
Navigating the legislative and regulatory requirements of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) can be challenging. Yet staying informed and compliant is essential to avoid penalties and safeguard public funding.
‘The systems we use to detect non-compliance are continually evolving,’ Karen Prstec, Director of the PBS Compliance Section of the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, told delegates at the PSA25 session Stay compliant! Your guide to PBS claiming.
‘We don’t rely solely on digital data; we also investigate non-compliance through calls to doctors, patients and pharmacists.’
What are common compliance breaches?
Compliance safeguards the sustainability of the PBS, with pharmacists acting as the ethical gatekeepers of the scheme to ensure public funds are spent appropriately.
While significant fraud is relatively rare, everyday breaches of the National Health Act 1953 and the National Health (Pharmaceutical Benefits) Regulations 2017 are surprisingly frequent.
These include ‘forward dispensing’ – when the pharmacist anticipates the patient coming in and dispenses ahead of request – claiming unused repeats and unauthorised repeats.
Of these, forward dispensing remains the most common – but non-compliant – practice, said Assistant Director of the PBS Compliance Section Hyunji Yoon, who co-presented the session with Mrs Prstec.
‘The dispensed medication then sits on the shelf and, sometimes, when the patient doesn’t collect it, the claim for supply is still submitted.’
If uncollected medications still remain in the pharmacy, pharmacists must cancel those PBS claims, advised Mrs Prstec. ‘You can’t just put the medicine back on the shelf and receive the money, but you would be surprised how many times we see that happening in practice.’
A breach of legislation for claims for unused repeats may occur when a patient changes their treatment, for example. ‘Perhaps the patient is on a certain drug for depression and that doesn’t work so the doctor prescribes a new medicine,’ Ms Yoon said.
‘The patient may keep their prescription at the pharmacy, the pharmacist decides why waste the prescription so pushes it through and claims for payment, although supply did not occur.’
Unauthorised repeats may result from patient requests for additional repeats, which were not authorised by the prescriber and the pharmacist fails to obtain authorisation from the prescriber.
The PBS Compliance Section has also detected cases of claims submitted for medicines removed from circulation. ‘That is a major red flag and supply may result in criminal charges,’ Mrs Prstec said.
She told delegates: ‘At the end of the day the PBS is built on supply. If a medicine hasn't been dispensed and supplied to a patient – with a valid prescription, in accordance with the medical practitioner’s instructions – then claiming is non-compliant. Those are the very simple foundations.’
What can get your PBS approval cancelled, and worse?
Systemic non-compliance can lead to criminal prosecution and custodial sentences, financial recovery, loss of PBS approval, reputational damage and disciplinary action.
For example, one pharmacy submitted a large volume of claims using the same authority prescription ID and authority approval ID for prescriptions for different patients and medicines.
The heart medicine Entresto, which attracts a PBS benefit of $100.59, was claimed using authority approval ID 04492022 in 2022. That same approval ID was then used to claim cladribine (a high-value medicine worth $29,000 in PBS benefits) for two different patients in 2024 totalling $117,140 in overpayments of PBS benefits. Over a 30-month period, from January 2022 to June 2024, this pattern of misuse resulted in $1.6M in PBS benefits being overpaid to the pharmacy.
‘This case highlights a serious non-compliant behaviour as authority approval IDs are unique to each prescription,’ Mrs Prstec said. ‘This pharmacist had their PBS approval revoked as a result.’
In another case, four pharmacies, all owned by the same pharmacist, submitted PBS claims for the same prescription for the same patient. ‘Interestingly all these duplicated claims were for high-value items with over $1,000 in PBS benefits,’ she said.
Duodopa gel, a high-cost treatment used in advanced Parkinson’s disease that attracts over $5,000 in PBS benefits, was claimed by all four pharmacies each time a patient presented a prescription for supply at one of those pharmacies. The highest claimed medicine by volume of claims and total government repayment amount was the cancer medicine ibrutinib – totalling 23 claims.
‘This behaviour resulted in a total of $607,000 in PBS benefits being overpaid over a 30-month period,’ Ms Yoon said. ‘Duplicate claiming is not only non-compliant, but also deceptive and undermines the integrity of the PBS. So this pharmacist’s PBS approval was revoked.’
How can pharmacists report non-compliance?
Pharmacists who identify genuine errors may voluntarily acknowledge the issue and repay the incorrect amounts. ‘If something doesn’t seem right, pharmacists should consult the legislation or PBS guidelines,’ Ms Yoon advised.
Tip-offs regarding non-compliance can be submitted anonymously by pharmacy staff, patients, or state regulators. Reports can be made to the Provider Benefits Integrity Hotline 1800 314 808 or online via the Department's Tip-off form.
Providing as much specific information as possible, such as copies of labels or receipts, greatly assists investigations.
Best practice in PBS supply and claiming
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[post_content] => The PSA25 social calendar is always jam packed. And this year, at the biggest national conference yet, certainly didn’t disappoint.
After last night’s networking event in the jam-packed exhibition hall, factions of pharmacists broke off to attend the Fellows Dinner or the renowned ECP party – with some reconvening again at the Members-only breakfast this morning.
Your trusty Australian Pharmacists reporters made the rounds this morning to document the night shenanigans in words and pictures.
Mixing friends and formulas
[gallery type="flexslider" size="full" ids="30067,30071,30070,30069,30068"]
What better way to let your hair down after a day of learning that at PSA25 networking event. Pharmacists milled about in the exhibition hall, catching up with colleagues over nibbles and canapés.
‘It's wonderful connecting with friends,’ said Stephanie Johnston FPS.
ECP’s let their hair down
Last night, ECPs got their glow on the Cafe Del Mar – chatting about all things pharmacy in between busting a move.
[gallery type="flexslider" size="full" ids="30075,30077,30076,30074,30073"]
The best part of the ECP party was meeting and networking with other like-minded young pharmacists, said Hannah Barakat MPS, Pharmacy Manager at Bendigo UFS Hargrave Street.
‘I find it really reinvigorating to meeting other people doing fabulous things. It reinforces why I wanted to be a pharmacist!’ she said.
‘It's so good to meet other pharmacists who enjoy being pharmacists and want to do better,’ agreed Katelyn Beattie, the 2025 Victorian Intern Pharmacist of the Year.
‘Reconnecting with people we have met at NAPSA and seeing what they are all doing now. I want to be there (at the ECP party) to soak it up!’
Breakfast with PSA’s national president
[gallery type="flexslider" size="full" ids="30064,30063,30062"]
Pharmacists rose early to catch breakfast with PSA’s national president, Associate Professor Fei Sim FPS and PSA’s General Manager for Policy and Program Delivery Chris Campbell FPS. At this annual event, PSA members get the opportunity to ask PSA leadership about the direction of the profession and how PSA is steering pharmacists towards it.
New fellows
A highlight of the fellows dinner was the review of fellows and the number of new inductees, said pharmacy legend John Bell FPS.
‘The younger fellows are from a broad range of practice settings, academia, hospital and community, and PSA employees recognised for their contributions over a number of years,’ he said.
[post_title] => PSA25: the place to be!
[post_excerpt] => The PSA25 social calendar is always jam packed. And this year, at the biggest national conference yet, certainly didn’t disappoint.
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[post_content] => Vaccination is one of the most cost-effective and life-saving health interventions, saving over 150 million lives worldwide in the last half century.
In Australia, we’re lucky enough to have enhanced vaccination access via the National Immunisation Program (NIP).
Between 2005 and 2015, the overall burden of illness, disability and premature death from the 17 vaccine-preventable diseases covered under the NIP fell by 30%.
Yet since the COVID-19 pandemic, vaccination rates have continued to drop – particularly in vulnerable groups.
Pharmacist immunisers, who have recently become significant contributors to Australia’s vaccination effort, now have a unique opportunity to build on this success and turn things around, David Laffan – Assistant Secretary, Immunisation Access and Engagement at the federal Department of Health, Disability and Ageing – told delegates at PSA25 last week.
‘Pharmacies in Australia have provided over 13% of all vaccinations administered in 2024–25 – and a double-digit share of many of them,’ he said.
Here, Australian Pharmacist highlights the impact pharmacists have had on vaccination rates, and where we can grow even further.
Record number of COVID-19 vaccinations administered by pharmacists
The two largest vaccinations by volume provided by pharmacies are influenza and COVID-19, Mr Laffan said.
While COVID-19 vaccination rates in the general population remain low – with only 9% coverage over the past 12 months – pharmacists have administered a substantial proportion of those doses.
‘Vaccination rates in June 2025 for the COVID-19 Vaccination in Community Pharmacy (CVCP) Program were the highest they've been since the first half of 2023,’ he said.
Pharmacists overtake GPs as aged care vaccinators
Pharmacists have played a significant role in increasing vaccination rates for aged care residents, who are particularly vulnerable to severe complications, hospitalisation and death.
‘This year, 59% of residents over the age of 75 received a COVID-19 dose in the last 6 months, a big increase from less than 40% a year ago,’ Mr Laffan said.
In May this year, pharmacists delivered over 41% of COVID-19 vaccinations in residential aged care homes, compared to 38% administered by GPs.
‘So for the first time, pharmacists have provided more COVID-19 vaccines in residential aged care than general practitioners,’ he said.
While co-administration of COVID-19 and influenza vaccines has been encouraged, it has not been enthusiastically embraced by the public.
‘This winter, only about one in four COVID-19 and flu vaccines were co-administered,’ Mr Laffan said. ‘So there's also an opportunity there.’
Come November, when the new Aged Care Act will commence, offering COVID-19 and influenza vaccines will become a registration requirement.
‘Aged care providers will also be required to offer their residents shingles and pneumococcal vaccines if they're eligible under the NIP.’
RSV vaccination program heralded a success
The new maternal RSV program, launched in February 2025, has had strong uptake – significantly reducing the burden of disease.
‘Early data indicates about 60% of pregnant women are accessing the maternal vaccine and about a further 20% accessing the monoclonal antibody offered by the states and territories after birth,’ Mr Laffan said.
Maternal immunisation reduces the risk of severe RSV disease in infants under 6 months of age by around 70%.
‘These immunisations being made available through the RSV program are estimated to keep 10,000 infants out of hospital each year, and we've already seen a 40% reduction in RSV notifications for young children since the introduction of the [the program],’ he said. ‘That's an incredible success.’
Concerning fall in vaccination rates across age groups
Despite these recent successes, immunisation rates for many vaccines are low or falling. In fact, every childhood vaccine on the NIP schedule has lower uptake in 2024 than 2020.
‘This decline means that this year, there will be an additional 15,000 babies unvaccinated compared to pre-COVID immunisation rates,’ Mr Laffan said.
Mistrust, fuelled by misinformation and disinformation, has contributed significantly to vaccine hesitancy.
And it’s not childhood vaccination rates that are in decline. The preliminary findings from the National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance’s annual immunisation coverage report found that adolescent vaccination rates are also particularly low.
‘For example, only 70% of children turning 17 have received a meningococcal vaccination in 2024,’ he said.
‘Older people are at high risk of infection and serious illness, yet only a third are vaccinated for shingles and less than half are vaccinated for pneumococcal.’
The rates of vaccination in First Nations’ children are even lower in the 1 year and 2 year old cohorts. Similarly, human papillomavirus coverage rates are declining – except for a spike in 2022–23 caused by the move to a single-dose schedule.
‘There is a significant opportunity for community pharmacy to assist in lifting these rates,’ Mr Laffan added.
NIPVIP could be the saving grace
The NCIRS interim report highlighted that key barriers to vaccination uptake in children include difficulty of access and cost.
Since its inception on 1 January 2024, the National Immunisation Program Vaccinations in Pharmacy is helping to break down these barriers.
‘Opening up NIP vaccines to community pharmacies has been a really important step in improving equity,’ Mr Laffan said.
‘The NIPVIP program has improved access by enabling community pharmacies to significantly increase the number of sites that can vaccinate. In turn, consumers benefit from the convenience of your locations. This also further represents an area of significant growth potential.’
NIPVIP vaccinations are up almost 50% from 2024, demonstrating the capacity for growth for pharmacy vaccinations.
‘[In] NIPVIP’s first month of operation, pharmacies claimed 1,400 vaccination services,’ he said. ‘Since then, nearly 34 million vaccinations have been provided and over 4,750 pharmacies have registered for NIPVIP.’
And the NIPVIP program is only set to expand
The increase in this year's winter vaccinations are in part attributable to the uptick in NIPVIP participation – and pharmacies becoming more recognised and accepted as trusted NIP vaccination providers.
Federal Minister for Health, Disability and Ageing Mark Butler hinted that the program is set to expand when launching the National Immunisation Strategy for Australia 2025–2030 in June this year.
‘One of the goals within the strategy is to harmonise relevant workforce policies, training and accreditation across all states and territories, Mr Laffan said. ‘And part of this priority involves developing strategies to safely enable health professionals, including community pharmacists, to work to their full scope of practice, which the NIP helps to facilitate.’
The department is also working to harmonise NIPVIP and CVCP to ensure vaccination is embedded into routine primary care service delivery following Australia exiting the emergency stage of the pandemic – including aligning payment rates.
‘I know from many of my conversations with you that you are looking forward to having one less ordering system to deal with when it comes to COVID-19 vaccines, so we'll continue to harmonise the programs and look at ways to streamline systems and reduce barriers,’ he said.
Community pharmacies are recognised as providing a vital channel of access to vaccinations, with work underway to operationalise the National Immunisation strategy through a National implementation plan.
‘This plan is about collaboration across governments, sectors and communities to drive improved vaccination outcomes … to ensure that every Australian has equitable access to life-saving vaccines,’ Mr Laffan said.
‘To this end, I've invited the PSA to engage with the department about future vaccination priorities … to ensure that the profession has a say in future government considerations.’
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[post_content] => A record 38 pharmacists have been inducted as Fellows of the PSA at the annual Fellows Dinner, recognising leadership, advocacy, and service to the profession over an extended period.
PSA National President Associate Professor Fei Sim FPS congratulated the 2025 cohort, saying: ‘This year’s Fellows showcase the passion, leadership and drive for excellence that define our profession’.
‘Being awarded Fellowship is a recognition of the sustained and outstanding contributions many pharmacists make to PSA and the broader pharmacy profession.
‘On behalf of PSA, I extend my congratulations to each of these remarkable pharmacists, and thank them for their enduring service and dedication to driving our profession forward.’
In addition to 38 Fellows, PSA has also recognised Rhonda White AO and Terry White AO as PSA Life Fellows.
‘In particular I’d like to acknowledge and congratulate Rhonda and Terry White, two stalwarts of Australian pharmacy who we are proud to recognise as Life Fellows of the PSA.
‘Together, Terry and Rhonda have changed the course of Australian pharmacy, championing accessible, patient-centred care and inspiring generations of pharmacists through their leadership.
‘PSA is proud to honour their lifelong dedication to community pharmacy.’
Among the 2025 cohort are a number of PSA staff who have had a significant impact on the pharmacy profession.
‘The PSA team are the backbone of our organisation, working unbelievably hard to support pharmacists across the country. For these members of our team, who are also pharmacists themselves, the drive to make an impact on their profession is particularly strong.
‘Congratulations to Caroyln, Claire, Chris, Quyen, Peter, Jarrod, Kay, Helen and Ella, these recognitions are very well deserved,’ A/Prof Sim said.
Full list of PSA Fellows inducted in 2025:
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[post_content] => PSA’s biggest ever national conference wrapped on Sunday 3 August after 3 full days of learning and networking.
The rainy weather didn’t stop more than 1,200 pharmacists from all areas of practice and corners of the country coming together at Sydney’s International Convention Centre (ICC) to further their knowledge and practice with Australia’s leading pharmacy voices.
[gallery type="flexslider" size="full" ids="30118,30113,30115,30116,30117,30119"]
If you weren't able to make it down to the conference, Australian Pharmacist has captured some of the best moments.
WA student clinches 2025 Pharmacy Student of the Year
Curtin University student Maxime Watts took out the 2025 PSA Viatris Pharmacy Student of the Year (PSOTY) award, as well as the People’s Choice award – as voted by PSA25 delegates.
[gallery type="flexslider" size="full" ids="30105,30106"]
‘I feel incredibly grateful to receive this recognition,’ Ms Waters told AP. ‘Pharmacy has become something I’m genuinely passionate about, and to have my work acknowledged in this way means so much. I’m looking forward to starting my career and continuing to learn within such a supportive profession.’
Seeing the next generation of pharmacists showcase their skills is a highlight of the PSA national conference, said PSA National President Associate Professor Fei Sim FPS.
‘These are our future pharmacists, our future leaders, and I must say I’m very confident our profession is in good hands,’ she said.
‘Each of the students who participated in the PSOTY competition has demonstrated impressive professionalism, skill, and dedication. On behalf of PSA, I wish them all the best in what I’m sure will be successful and rewarding careers as pharmacists.’
Pharmacist glitterati dazzle at the Gala Dinner
Pharmacists donned sequins, sparkles and feathers at Saturday night’s gala dinner, themed carnivàle.
[gallery type="flexslider" size="full" ids="30103,30104,30107,30108,30109,30110,30111"]
Delegates were transported to downtown Rio, with professional dancers putting on a colorful and acrobatic display – before hitting the dance floor to show off their own moves.
See if you can spot your friends and colleagues in the crowd.
Closing out PSA’s biggest conference ever
To cap off the weekend, PSA and the Australasian Pharmaceutical Science Association (APSA) presented the Outstanding Poster Presentation to Jade Swarbrick for her presentation ADHD in GP settings. The Outstanding Oral Presentation went to Kym Ramsey for his presentation Utilising rural community pharmacists to screen for chronic diseases.
PSA and PDL once again joined forces to present the 2025 Volunteer of the Year Award to Madeline Scarlett, as voted by PSA25 delegates, in recognition of her positivity and helpfulness across the weekend.
Closing the event, PSA National President Associate Professor Fei Sim FPS highlighted the significance of PSA membership reaching 20,000 for the first time – reflecting the growing confidence pharmacists have in PSA as their professional home.
‘Every year I leave this conference feeling a renewed sense of belonging and passion for this profession,’ she said.
‘Thank you to everyone who made PSA25 a success – our delegates, volunteers, branch committees, staff, speakers and partners – I’m truly inspired by every single one of you.
‘Whether you’re a student, early career pharmacist, or seasoned practitioner, PSA is proud to be your professional home, giving you the tools and the support you need to build the pharmacy career you want.’
See you all again next year at PSA26, held in Sydney at the ICC from Friday 31 July to Sunday 2 August.
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[post_content] => To ensure PBS claiming practices are compliant, ethical and audit-ready, here’s what every pharmacist should know.
Navigating the legislative and regulatory requirements of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) can be challenging. Yet staying informed and compliant is essential to avoid penalties and safeguard public funding.
‘The systems we use to detect non-compliance are continually evolving,’ Karen Prstec, Director of the PBS Compliance Section of the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, told delegates at the PSA25 session Stay compliant! Your guide to PBS claiming.
‘We don’t rely solely on digital data; we also investigate non-compliance through calls to doctors, patients and pharmacists.’
What are common compliance breaches?
Compliance safeguards the sustainability of the PBS, with pharmacists acting as the ethical gatekeepers of the scheme to ensure public funds are spent appropriately.
While significant fraud is relatively rare, everyday breaches of the National Health Act 1953 and the National Health (Pharmaceutical Benefits) Regulations 2017 are surprisingly frequent.
These include ‘forward dispensing’ – when the pharmacist anticipates the patient coming in and dispenses ahead of request – claiming unused repeats and unauthorised repeats.
Of these, forward dispensing remains the most common – but non-compliant – practice, said Assistant Director of the PBS Compliance Section Hyunji Yoon, who co-presented the session with Mrs Prstec.
‘The dispensed medication then sits on the shelf and, sometimes, when the patient doesn’t collect it, the claim for supply is still submitted.’
If uncollected medications still remain in the pharmacy, pharmacists must cancel those PBS claims, advised Mrs Prstec. ‘You can’t just put the medicine back on the shelf and receive the money, but you would be surprised how many times we see that happening in practice.’
A breach of legislation for claims for unused repeats may occur when a patient changes their treatment, for example. ‘Perhaps the patient is on a certain drug for depression and that doesn’t work so the doctor prescribes a new medicine,’ Ms Yoon said.
‘The patient may keep their prescription at the pharmacy, the pharmacist decides why waste the prescription so pushes it through and claims for payment, although supply did not occur.’
Unauthorised repeats may result from patient requests for additional repeats, which were not authorised by the prescriber and the pharmacist fails to obtain authorisation from the prescriber.
The PBS Compliance Section has also detected cases of claims submitted for medicines removed from circulation. ‘That is a major red flag and supply may result in criminal charges,’ Mrs Prstec said.
She told delegates: ‘At the end of the day the PBS is built on supply. If a medicine hasn't been dispensed and supplied to a patient – with a valid prescription, in accordance with the medical practitioner’s instructions – then claiming is non-compliant. Those are the very simple foundations.’
What can get your PBS approval cancelled, and worse?
Systemic non-compliance can lead to criminal prosecution and custodial sentences, financial recovery, loss of PBS approval, reputational damage and disciplinary action.
For example, one pharmacy submitted a large volume of claims using the same authority prescription ID and authority approval ID for prescriptions for different patients and medicines.
The heart medicine Entresto, which attracts a PBS benefit of $100.59, was claimed using authority approval ID 04492022 in 2022. That same approval ID was then used to claim cladribine (a high-value medicine worth $29,000 in PBS benefits) for two different patients in 2024 totalling $117,140 in overpayments of PBS benefits. Over a 30-month period, from January 2022 to June 2024, this pattern of misuse resulted in $1.6M in PBS benefits being overpaid to the pharmacy.
‘This case highlights a serious non-compliant behaviour as authority approval IDs are unique to each prescription,’ Mrs Prstec said. ‘This pharmacist had their PBS approval revoked as a result.’
In another case, four pharmacies, all owned by the same pharmacist, submitted PBS claims for the same prescription for the same patient. ‘Interestingly all these duplicated claims were for high-value items with over $1,000 in PBS benefits,’ she said.
Duodopa gel, a high-cost treatment used in advanced Parkinson’s disease that attracts over $5,000 in PBS benefits, was claimed by all four pharmacies each time a patient presented a prescription for supply at one of those pharmacies. The highest claimed medicine by volume of claims and total government repayment amount was the cancer medicine ibrutinib – totalling 23 claims.
‘This behaviour resulted in a total of $607,000 in PBS benefits being overpaid over a 30-month period,’ Ms Yoon said. ‘Duplicate claiming is not only non-compliant, but also deceptive and undermines the integrity of the PBS. So this pharmacist’s PBS approval was revoked.’
How can pharmacists report non-compliance?
Pharmacists who identify genuine errors may voluntarily acknowledge the issue and repay the incorrect amounts. ‘If something doesn’t seem right, pharmacists should consult the legislation or PBS guidelines,’ Ms Yoon advised.
Tip-offs regarding non-compliance can be submitted anonymously by pharmacy staff, patients, or state regulators. Reports can be made to the Provider Benefits Integrity Hotline 1800 314 808 or online via the Department's Tip-off form.
Providing as much specific information as possible, such as copies of labels or receipts, greatly assists investigations.
Best practice in PBS supply and claiming
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[post_content] => The PSA25 social calendar is always jam packed. And this year, at the biggest national conference yet, certainly didn’t disappoint.
After last night’s networking event in the jam-packed exhibition hall, factions of pharmacists broke off to attend the Fellows Dinner or the renowned ECP party – with some reconvening again at the Members-only breakfast this morning.
Your trusty Australian Pharmacists reporters made the rounds this morning to document the night shenanigans in words and pictures.
Mixing friends and formulas
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What better way to let your hair down after a day of learning that at PSA25 networking event. Pharmacists milled about in the exhibition hall, catching up with colleagues over nibbles and canapés.
‘It's wonderful connecting with friends,’ said Stephanie Johnston FPS.
ECP’s let their hair down
Last night, ECPs got their glow on the Cafe Del Mar – chatting about all things pharmacy in between busting a move.
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The best part of the ECP party was meeting and networking with other like-minded young pharmacists, said Hannah Barakat MPS, Pharmacy Manager at Bendigo UFS Hargrave Street.
‘I find it really reinvigorating to meeting other people doing fabulous things. It reinforces why I wanted to be a pharmacist!’ she said.
‘It's so good to meet other pharmacists who enjoy being pharmacists and want to do better,’ agreed Katelyn Beattie, the 2025 Victorian Intern Pharmacist of the Year.
‘Reconnecting with people we have met at NAPSA and seeing what they are all doing now. I want to be there (at the ECP party) to soak it up!’
Breakfast with PSA’s national president
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Pharmacists rose early to catch breakfast with PSA’s national president, Associate Professor Fei Sim FPS and PSA’s General Manager for Policy and Program Delivery Chris Campbell FPS. At this annual event, PSA members get the opportunity to ask PSA leadership about the direction of the profession and how PSA is steering pharmacists towards it.
New fellows
A highlight of the fellows dinner was the review of fellows and the number of new inductees, said pharmacy legend John Bell FPS.
‘The younger fellows are from a broad range of practice settings, academia, hospital and community, and PSA employees recognised for their contributions over a number of years,’ he said.
[post_title] => PSA25: the place to be!
[post_excerpt] => The PSA25 social calendar is always jam packed. And this year, at the biggest national conference yet, certainly didn’t disappoint.
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[post_content] => Vaccination is one of the most cost-effective and life-saving health interventions, saving over 150 million lives worldwide in the last half century.
In Australia, we’re lucky enough to have enhanced vaccination access via the National Immunisation Program (NIP).
Between 2005 and 2015, the overall burden of illness, disability and premature death from the 17 vaccine-preventable diseases covered under the NIP fell by 30%.
Yet since the COVID-19 pandemic, vaccination rates have continued to drop – particularly in vulnerable groups.
Pharmacist immunisers, who have recently become significant contributors to Australia’s vaccination effort, now have a unique opportunity to build on this success and turn things around, David Laffan – Assistant Secretary, Immunisation Access and Engagement at the federal Department of Health, Disability and Ageing – told delegates at PSA25 last week.
‘Pharmacies in Australia have provided over 13% of all vaccinations administered in 2024–25 – and a double-digit share of many of them,’ he said.
Here, Australian Pharmacist highlights the impact pharmacists have had on vaccination rates, and where we can grow even further.
Record number of COVID-19 vaccinations administered by pharmacists
The two largest vaccinations by volume provided by pharmacies are influenza and COVID-19, Mr Laffan said.
While COVID-19 vaccination rates in the general population remain low – with only 9% coverage over the past 12 months – pharmacists have administered a substantial proportion of those doses.
‘Vaccination rates in June 2025 for the COVID-19 Vaccination in Community Pharmacy (CVCP) Program were the highest they've been since the first half of 2023,’ he said.
Pharmacists overtake GPs as aged care vaccinators
Pharmacists have played a significant role in increasing vaccination rates for aged care residents, who are particularly vulnerable to severe complications, hospitalisation and death.
‘This year, 59% of residents over the age of 75 received a COVID-19 dose in the last 6 months, a big increase from less than 40% a year ago,’ Mr Laffan said.
In May this year, pharmacists delivered over 41% of COVID-19 vaccinations in residential aged care homes, compared to 38% administered by GPs.
‘So for the first time, pharmacists have provided more COVID-19 vaccines in residential aged care than general practitioners,’ he said.
While co-administration of COVID-19 and influenza vaccines has been encouraged, it has not been enthusiastically embraced by the public.
‘This winter, only about one in four COVID-19 and flu vaccines were co-administered,’ Mr Laffan said. ‘So there's also an opportunity there.’
Come November, when the new Aged Care Act will commence, offering COVID-19 and influenza vaccines will become a registration requirement.
‘Aged care providers will also be required to offer their residents shingles and pneumococcal vaccines if they're eligible under the NIP.’
RSV vaccination program heralded a success
The new maternal RSV program, launched in February 2025, has had strong uptake – significantly reducing the burden of disease.
‘Early data indicates about 60% of pregnant women are accessing the maternal vaccine and about a further 20% accessing the monoclonal antibody offered by the states and territories after birth,’ Mr Laffan said.
Maternal immunisation reduces the risk of severe RSV disease in infants under 6 months of age by around 70%.
‘These immunisations being made available through the RSV program are estimated to keep 10,000 infants out of hospital each year, and we've already seen a 40% reduction in RSV notifications for young children since the introduction of the [the program],’ he said. ‘That's an incredible success.’
Concerning fall in vaccination rates across age groups
Despite these recent successes, immunisation rates for many vaccines are low or falling. In fact, every childhood vaccine on the NIP schedule has lower uptake in 2024 than 2020.
‘This decline means that this year, there will be an additional 15,000 babies unvaccinated compared to pre-COVID immunisation rates,’ Mr Laffan said.
Mistrust, fuelled by misinformation and disinformation, has contributed significantly to vaccine hesitancy.
And it’s not childhood vaccination rates that are in decline. The preliminary findings from the National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance’s annual immunisation coverage report found that adolescent vaccination rates are also particularly low.
‘For example, only 70% of children turning 17 have received a meningococcal vaccination in 2024,’ he said.
‘Older people are at high risk of infection and serious illness, yet only a third are vaccinated for shingles and less than half are vaccinated for pneumococcal.’
The rates of vaccination in First Nations’ children are even lower in the 1 year and 2 year old cohorts. Similarly, human papillomavirus coverage rates are declining – except for a spike in 2022–23 caused by the move to a single-dose schedule.
‘There is a significant opportunity for community pharmacy to assist in lifting these rates,’ Mr Laffan added.
NIPVIP could be the saving grace
The NCIRS interim report highlighted that key barriers to vaccination uptake in children include difficulty of access and cost.
Since its inception on 1 January 2024, the National Immunisation Program Vaccinations in Pharmacy is helping to break down these barriers.
‘Opening up NIP vaccines to community pharmacies has been a really important step in improving equity,’ Mr Laffan said.
‘The NIPVIP program has improved access by enabling community pharmacies to significantly increase the number of sites that can vaccinate. In turn, consumers benefit from the convenience of your locations. This also further represents an area of significant growth potential.’
NIPVIP vaccinations are up almost 50% from 2024, demonstrating the capacity for growth for pharmacy vaccinations.
‘[In] NIPVIP’s first month of operation, pharmacies claimed 1,400 vaccination services,’ he said. ‘Since then, nearly 34 million vaccinations have been provided and over 4,750 pharmacies have registered for NIPVIP.’
And the NIPVIP program is only set to expand
The increase in this year's winter vaccinations are in part attributable to the uptick in NIPVIP participation – and pharmacies becoming more recognised and accepted as trusted NIP vaccination providers.
Federal Minister for Health, Disability and Ageing Mark Butler hinted that the program is set to expand when launching the National Immunisation Strategy for Australia 2025–2030 in June this year.
‘One of the goals within the strategy is to harmonise relevant workforce policies, training and accreditation across all states and territories, Mr Laffan said. ‘And part of this priority involves developing strategies to safely enable health professionals, including community pharmacists, to work to their full scope of practice, which the NIP helps to facilitate.’
The department is also working to harmonise NIPVIP and CVCP to ensure vaccination is embedded into routine primary care service delivery following Australia exiting the emergency stage of the pandemic – including aligning payment rates.
‘I know from many of my conversations with you that you are looking forward to having one less ordering system to deal with when it comes to COVID-19 vaccines, so we'll continue to harmonise the programs and look at ways to streamline systems and reduce barriers,’ he said.
Community pharmacies are recognised as providing a vital channel of access to vaccinations, with work underway to operationalise the National Immunisation strategy through a National implementation plan.
‘This plan is about collaboration across governments, sectors and communities to drive improved vaccination outcomes … to ensure that every Australian has equitable access to life-saving vaccines,’ Mr Laffan said.
‘To this end, I've invited the PSA to engage with the department about future vaccination priorities … to ensure that the profession has a say in future government considerations.’
[post_title] => Pharmacists are driving an increase in vaccination rates, says vaccine expert
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[post_content] => A record 38 pharmacists have been inducted as Fellows of the PSA at the annual Fellows Dinner, recognising leadership, advocacy, and service to the profession over an extended period.
PSA National President Associate Professor Fei Sim FPS congratulated the 2025 cohort, saying: ‘This year’s Fellows showcase the passion, leadership and drive for excellence that define our profession’.
‘Being awarded Fellowship is a recognition of the sustained and outstanding contributions many pharmacists make to PSA and the broader pharmacy profession.
‘On behalf of PSA, I extend my congratulations to each of these remarkable pharmacists, and thank them for their enduring service and dedication to driving our profession forward.’
In addition to 38 Fellows, PSA has also recognised Rhonda White AO and Terry White AO as PSA Life Fellows.
‘In particular I’d like to acknowledge and congratulate Rhonda and Terry White, two stalwarts of Australian pharmacy who we are proud to recognise as Life Fellows of the PSA.
‘Together, Terry and Rhonda have changed the course of Australian pharmacy, championing accessible, patient-centred care and inspiring generations of pharmacists through their leadership.
‘PSA is proud to honour their lifelong dedication to community pharmacy.’
Among the 2025 cohort are a number of PSA staff who have had a significant impact on the pharmacy profession.
‘The PSA team are the backbone of our organisation, working unbelievably hard to support pharmacists across the country. For these members of our team, who are also pharmacists themselves, the drive to make an impact on their profession is particularly strong.
‘Congratulations to Caroyln, Claire, Chris, Quyen, Peter, Jarrod, Kay, Helen and Ella, these recognitions are very well deserved,’ A/Prof Sim said.
Full list of PSA Fellows inducted in 2025:
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[post_content] => PSA’s biggest ever national conference wrapped on Sunday 3 August after 3 full days of learning and networking.
The rainy weather didn’t stop more than 1,200 pharmacists from all areas of practice and corners of the country coming together at Sydney’s International Convention Centre (ICC) to further their knowledge and practice with Australia’s leading pharmacy voices.
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If you weren't able to make it down to the conference, Australian Pharmacist has captured some of the best moments.
WA student clinches 2025 Pharmacy Student of the Year
Curtin University student Maxime Watts took out the 2025 PSA Viatris Pharmacy Student of the Year (PSOTY) award, as well as the People’s Choice award – as voted by PSA25 delegates.
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‘I feel incredibly grateful to receive this recognition,’ Ms Waters told AP. ‘Pharmacy has become something I’m genuinely passionate about, and to have my work acknowledged in this way means so much. I’m looking forward to starting my career and continuing to learn within such a supportive profession.’
Seeing the next generation of pharmacists showcase their skills is a highlight of the PSA national conference, said PSA National President Associate Professor Fei Sim FPS.
‘These are our future pharmacists, our future leaders, and I must say I’m very confident our profession is in good hands,’ she said.
‘Each of the students who participated in the PSOTY competition has demonstrated impressive professionalism, skill, and dedication. On behalf of PSA, I wish them all the best in what I’m sure will be successful and rewarding careers as pharmacists.’
Pharmacist glitterati dazzle at the Gala Dinner
Pharmacists donned sequins, sparkles and feathers at Saturday night’s gala dinner, themed carnivàle.
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Delegates were transported to downtown Rio, with professional dancers putting on a colorful and acrobatic display – before hitting the dance floor to show off their own moves.
See if you can spot your friends and colleagues in the crowd.
Closing out PSA’s biggest conference ever
To cap off the weekend, PSA and the Australasian Pharmaceutical Science Association (APSA) presented the Outstanding Poster Presentation to Jade Swarbrick for her presentation ADHD in GP settings. The Outstanding Oral Presentation went to Kym Ramsey for his presentation Utilising rural community pharmacists to screen for chronic diseases.
PSA and PDL once again joined forces to present the 2025 Volunteer of the Year Award to Madeline Scarlett, as voted by PSA25 delegates, in recognition of her positivity and helpfulness across the weekend.
Closing the event, PSA National President Associate Professor Fei Sim FPS highlighted the significance of PSA membership reaching 20,000 for the first time – reflecting the growing confidence pharmacists have in PSA as their professional home.
‘Every year I leave this conference feeling a renewed sense of belonging and passion for this profession,’ she said.
‘Thank you to everyone who made PSA25 a success – our delegates, volunteers, branch committees, staff, speakers and partners – I’m truly inspired by every single one of you.
‘Whether you’re a student, early career pharmacist, or seasoned practitioner, PSA is proud to be your professional home, giving you the tools and the support you need to build the pharmacy career you want.’
See you all again next year at PSA26, held in Sydney at the ICC from Friday 31 July to Sunday 2 August.
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[post_content] => To ensure PBS claiming practices are compliant, ethical and audit-ready, here’s what every pharmacist should know.
Navigating the legislative and regulatory requirements of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) can be challenging. Yet staying informed and compliant is essential to avoid penalties and safeguard public funding.
‘The systems we use to detect non-compliance are continually evolving,’ Karen Prstec, Director of the PBS Compliance Section of the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, told delegates at the PSA25 session Stay compliant! Your guide to PBS claiming.
‘We don’t rely solely on digital data; we also investigate non-compliance through calls to doctors, patients and pharmacists.’
What are common compliance breaches?
Compliance safeguards the sustainability of the PBS, with pharmacists acting as the ethical gatekeepers of the scheme to ensure public funds are spent appropriately.
While significant fraud is relatively rare, everyday breaches of the National Health Act 1953 and the National Health (Pharmaceutical Benefits) Regulations 2017 are surprisingly frequent.
These include ‘forward dispensing’ – when the pharmacist anticipates the patient coming in and dispenses ahead of request – claiming unused repeats and unauthorised repeats.
Of these, forward dispensing remains the most common – but non-compliant – practice, said Assistant Director of the PBS Compliance Section Hyunji Yoon, who co-presented the session with Mrs Prstec.
‘The dispensed medication then sits on the shelf and, sometimes, when the patient doesn’t collect it, the claim for supply is still submitted.’
If uncollected medications still remain in the pharmacy, pharmacists must cancel those PBS claims, advised Mrs Prstec. ‘You can’t just put the medicine back on the shelf and receive the money, but you would be surprised how many times we see that happening in practice.’
A breach of legislation for claims for unused repeats may occur when a patient changes their treatment, for example. ‘Perhaps the patient is on a certain drug for depression and that doesn’t work so the doctor prescribes a new medicine,’ Ms Yoon said.
‘The patient may keep their prescription at the pharmacy, the pharmacist decides why waste the prescription so pushes it through and claims for payment, although supply did not occur.’
Unauthorised repeats may result from patient requests for additional repeats, which were not authorised by the prescriber and the pharmacist fails to obtain authorisation from the prescriber.
The PBS Compliance Section has also detected cases of claims submitted for medicines removed from circulation. ‘That is a major red flag and supply may result in criminal charges,’ Mrs Prstec said.
She told delegates: ‘At the end of the day the PBS is built on supply. If a medicine hasn't been dispensed and supplied to a patient – with a valid prescription, in accordance with the medical practitioner’s instructions – then claiming is non-compliant. Those are the very simple foundations.’
What can get your PBS approval cancelled, and worse?
Systemic non-compliance can lead to criminal prosecution and custodial sentences, financial recovery, loss of PBS approval, reputational damage and disciplinary action.
For example, one pharmacy submitted a large volume of claims using the same authority prescription ID and authority approval ID for prescriptions for different patients and medicines.
The heart medicine Entresto, which attracts a PBS benefit of $100.59, was claimed using authority approval ID 04492022 in 2022. That same approval ID was then used to claim cladribine (a high-value medicine worth $29,000 in PBS benefits) for two different patients in 2024 totalling $117,140 in overpayments of PBS benefits. Over a 30-month period, from January 2022 to June 2024, this pattern of misuse resulted in $1.6M in PBS benefits being overpaid to the pharmacy.
‘This case highlights a serious non-compliant behaviour as authority approval IDs are unique to each prescription,’ Mrs Prstec said. ‘This pharmacist had their PBS approval revoked as a result.’
In another case, four pharmacies, all owned by the same pharmacist, submitted PBS claims for the same prescription for the same patient. ‘Interestingly all these duplicated claims were for high-value items with over $1,000 in PBS benefits,’ she said.
Duodopa gel, a high-cost treatment used in advanced Parkinson’s disease that attracts over $5,000 in PBS benefits, was claimed by all four pharmacies each time a patient presented a prescription for supply at one of those pharmacies. The highest claimed medicine by volume of claims and total government repayment amount was the cancer medicine ibrutinib – totalling 23 claims.
‘This behaviour resulted in a total of $607,000 in PBS benefits being overpaid over a 30-month period,’ Ms Yoon said. ‘Duplicate claiming is not only non-compliant, but also deceptive and undermines the integrity of the PBS. So this pharmacist’s PBS approval was revoked.’
How can pharmacists report non-compliance?
Pharmacists who identify genuine errors may voluntarily acknowledge the issue and repay the incorrect amounts. ‘If something doesn’t seem right, pharmacists should consult the legislation or PBS guidelines,’ Ms Yoon advised.
Tip-offs regarding non-compliance can be submitted anonymously by pharmacy staff, patients, or state regulators. Reports can be made to the Provider Benefits Integrity Hotline 1800 314 808 or online via the Department's Tip-off form.
Providing as much specific information as possible, such as copies of labels or receipts, greatly assists investigations.
Best practice in PBS supply and claiming
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[post_content] => The PSA25 social calendar is always jam packed. And this year, at the biggest national conference yet, certainly didn’t disappoint.
After last night’s networking event in the jam-packed exhibition hall, factions of pharmacists broke off to attend the Fellows Dinner or the renowned ECP party – with some reconvening again at the Members-only breakfast this morning.
Your trusty Australian Pharmacists reporters made the rounds this morning to document the night shenanigans in words and pictures.
Mixing friends and formulas
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What better way to let your hair down after a day of learning that at PSA25 networking event. Pharmacists milled about in the exhibition hall, catching up with colleagues over nibbles and canapés.
‘It's wonderful connecting with friends,’ said Stephanie Johnston FPS.
ECP’s let their hair down
Last night, ECPs got their glow on the Cafe Del Mar – chatting about all things pharmacy in between busting a move.
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The best part of the ECP party was meeting and networking with other like-minded young pharmacists, said Hannah Barakat MPS, Pharmacy Manager at Bendigo UFS Hargrave Street.
‘I find it really reinvigorating to meeting other people doing fabulous things. It reinforces why I wanted to be a pharmacist!’ she said.
‘It's so good to meet other pharmacists who enjoy being pharmacists and want to do better,’ agreed Katelyn Beattie, the 2025 Victorian Intern Pharmacist of the Year.
‘Reconnecting with people we have met at NAPSA and seeing what they are all doing now. I want to be there (at the ECP party) to soak it up!’
Breakfast with PSA’s national president
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Pharmacists rose early to catch breakfast with PSA’s national president, Associate Professor Fei Sim FPS and PSA’s General Manager for Policy and Program Delivery Chris Campbell FPS. At this annual event, PSA members get the opportunity to ask PSA leadership about the direction of the profession and how PSA is steering pharmacists towards it.
New fellows
A highlight of the fellows dinner was the review of fellows and the number of new inductees, said pharmacy legend John Bell FPS.
‘The younger fellows are from a broad range of practice settings, academia, hospital and community, and PSA employees recognised for their contributions over a number of years,’ he said.
[post_title] => PSA25: the place to be!
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Australian Pharmacist is the official journal for Pharmaceutical Society of Australia Ltd.
