Home - Australian Pharmacist

What’s involved in dispensing prescribed psychedelics?

Helen Hawkes - 21 February 2026

Industry

An ACT pharmacy became the first to manage psychedelics for PTSD and treatment-resistant depression in accordance with TGA regulations.

Cultural safety and responsiveness

AP Staff - 29 August 2018

Clinical

Scenario A patient, who identifies as an Aboriginal person, presents to the pharmacy for her monthly prescriptions. Her prescriptions are not annotated as ‘CTG -...

The new women’s health initiatives, explained

Chloe Hava - 12 February 2025

Industry

Over the weekend, the Albanese Government announced a $573 million commitment to national women’s health initiatives, to bipartisan support.

Pharmacists ‘hindered’ during COVID-19 pandemic

David Rowley - 22 July 2020

Industry

Pharmacists have been hamstrung by conflicting federal and state legislation while battling to provide the best possible care for patients during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Pharmacy & Me: Fighting for fair remuneration

AP Staff - 19 October 2022

Industry

In this special episode of Pharmacy & Me, hosts Peter Guthrey and Hannah Knowles get to the heart of the issue, speaking with Ienaam and pharmacy owner Caroline Diamantis MPS about what needs to change when it comes to remuneration.

Why this GP trained pharmacists for the QLD prescribing pilot

Chloe Hava - 29 May 2024

Industry

The urgent need to train pharmacists as autonomous prescribers to fill healthcare gaps under the Queensland Scope of Practice Pilot.

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8.00 am	Set up and check in IVF work fluctuates – some days it’s minimal, other days it’s constant. I check what’s booked/expected, confirm any urgent needs, and make sure there’s space for IVF stock.
9.00 am	Ordering and supply planning Weekly ordering is done on Monday mornings and reviewed again on Wednesday because we can’t reliably order later in the week. This helps to protect continuity.
10:30 am	Dispensary coordination My dispensary manager leads ordering of IVF medicines, support materials and consumables. She also prepares syringe/needle packs for medicines that require separate consumable supply, so patients receive everything together.
12.00 pm	Clinic liaison Phone or email contact with IVF nurses occurs most days to clarify prescriptions, confirm timing and align supply with treatment cycles.
2.00 pm	Prescription collection Our courier collects prescriptions from fertility clinics weekly, as not all clinics use e-scripts. These are processed promptly to avoid delays that could affect treatment timing.
3.30 pm	Patient support IVF supply often includes practical support: ensuring patients have what they need for transport and storage, and that any supporting materials and consumables are ready alongside the medicines.
6.00 pm	Engagement and training Some evenings may include a Fertility Nurses of Australia meeting, or delivering training sessions for fertility clinics for IVF clinicians and nurses.
8.00 pm	Urgent supply Occasionally I’ll get an out-of-hours call from an IVF clinician to arrange emergency medicines supply, requiring rapid coordination to keep treatment on track.

8.00 am	Set up and check in IVF work fluctuates – some days it’s minimal, other days it’s constant. I check what’s booked/expected, confirm any urgent needs, and make sure there’s space for IVF stock.
9.00 am	Ordering and supply planning Weekly ordering is done on Monday mornings and reviewed again on Wednesday because we can’t reliably order later in the week. This helps to protect continuity.
10:30 am	Dispensary coordination My dispensary manager leads ordering of IVF medicines, support materials and consumables. She also prepares syringe/needle packs for medicines that require separate consumable supply, so patients receive everything together.
12.00 pm	Clinic liaison Phone or email contact with IVF nurses occurs most days to clarify prescriptions, confirm timing and align supply with treatment cycles.
2.00 pm	Prescription collection Our courier collects prescriptions from fertility clinics weekly, as not all clinics use e-scripts. These are processed promptly to avoid delays that could affect treatment timing.
3.30 pm	Patient support IVF supply often includes practical support: ensuring patients have what they need for transport and storage, and that any supporting materials and consumables are ready alongside the medicines.
6.00 pm	Engagement and training Some evenings may include a Fertility Nurses of Australia meeting, or delivering training sessions for fertility clinics for IVF clinicians and nurses.
8.00 pm	Urgent supply Occasionally I’ll get an out-of-hours call from an IVF clinician to arrange emergency medicines supply, requiring rapid coordination to keep treatment on track.

8.00 am	Set up and check in IVF work fluctuates – some days it’s minimal, other days it’s constant. I check what’s booked/expected, confirm any urgent needs, and make sure there’s space for IVF stock.
9.00 am	Ordering and supply planning Weekly ordering is done on Monday mornings and reviewed again on Wednesday because we can’t reliably order later in the week. This helps to protect continuity.
10:30 am	Dispensary coordination My dispensary manager leads ordering of IVF medicines, support materials and consumables. She also prepares syringe/needle packs for medicines that require separate consumable supply, so patients receive everything together.
12.00 pm	Clinic liaison Phone or email contact with IVF nurses occurs most days to clarify prescriptions, confirm timing and align supply with treatment cycles.
2.00 pm	Prescription collection Our courier collects prescriptions from fertility clinics weekly, as not all clinics use e-scripts. These are processed promptly to avoid delays that could affect treatment timing.
3.30 pm	Patient support IVF supply often includes practical support: ensuring patients have what they need for transport and storage, and that any supporting materials and consumables are ready alongside the medicines.
6.00 pm	Engagement and training Some evenings may include a Fertility Nurses of Australia meeting, or delivering training sessions for fertility clinics for IVF clinicians and nurses.
8.00 pm	Urgent supply Occasionally I’ll get an out-of-hours call from an IVF clinician to arrange emergency medicines supply, requiring rapid coordination to keep treatment on track.

8.00 am	Set up and check in IVF work fluctuates – some days it’s minimal, other days it’s constant. I check what’s booked/expected, confirm any urgent needs, and make sure there’s space for IVF stock.
9.00 am	Ordering and supply planning Weekly ordering is done on Monday mornings and reviewed again on Wednesday because we can’t reliably order later in the week. This helps to protect continuity.
10:30 am	Dispensary coordination My dispensary manager leads ordering of IVF medicines, support materials and consumables. She also prepares syringe/needle packs for medicines that require separate consumable supply, so patients receive everything together.
12.00 pm	Clinic liaison Phone or email contact with IVF nurses occurs most days to clarify prescriptions, confirm timing and align supply with treatment cycles.
2.00 pm	Prescription collection Our courier collects prescriptions from fertility clinics weekly, as not all clinics use e-scripts. These are processed promptly to avoid delays that could affect treatment timing.
3.30 pm	Patient support IVF supply often includes practical support: ensuring patients have what they need for transport and storage, and that any supporting materials and consumables are ready alongside the medicines.
6.00 pm	Engagement and training Some evenings may include a Fertility Nurses of Australia meeting, or delivering training sessions for fertility clinics for IVF clinicians and nurses.
8.00 pm	Urgent supply Occasionally I’ll get an out-of-hours call from an IVF clinician to arrange emergency medicines supply, requiring rapid coordination to keep treatment on track.

Health comes first

Timing is everything

Approaching chronic disease management

Self-adjusted dosing

Starting the conversation

Knowing what invalidates a fast

1. Intranasal influenza vaccine introduced

2. The end of quadrivalent vaccines

3. Expanded registration of Fluad

4. Timing and urgency after a severe season

5. Vaccination rates remain dangerously low

More information for pharmacists

Pharmacist of the Year – Bente Hart MPS

Lifetime Achievement Award – Kate Gray MPS

Early Career Pharmacist of the Year – Mitchell Budden MPS

Intern of the Year – Karina Angelucci MPS

Knocking on doors

A workforce running on goodwill

The cost of saying no

Let pharmacists do what they are trained to do

Reform that matches need with value

How did you specialise in assisted reproductive therapy?

What does the role entail?

How do you help patients navigate their medicines regimen?

How do you manage medicines storage, cold-chain and supply?

How do you collaborate with fertility clinics, prescribers and nurses?

What advice do you have for ECPs keen on specialising in this area?

A Day in the life of Morag Horton, community pharmacy owner, Adelaide, South Australia

Health comes first

Timing is everything

Approaching chronic disease management

Self-adjusted dosing

Starting the conversation

Knowing what invalidates a fast

1. Intranasal influenza vaccine introduced

2. The end of quadrivalent vaccines

3. Expanded registration of Fluad

4. Timing and urgency after a severe season

5. Vaccination rates remain dangerously low

More information for pharmacists

Pharmacist of the Year – Bente Hart MPS

Lifetime Achievement Award – Kate Gray MPS

Early Career Pharmacist of the Year – Mitchell Budden MPS

Intern of the Year – Karina Angelucci MPS

Knocking on doors

A workforce running on goodwill

The cost of saying no

Let pharmacists do what they are trained to do

Reform that matches need with value

How did you specialise in assisted reproductive therapy?

What does the role entail?

How do you help patients navigate their medicines regimen?

How do you manage medicines storage, cold-chain and supply?

How do you collaborate with fertility clinics, prescribers and nurses?

What advice do you have for ECPs keen on specialising in this area?

A Day in the life of Morag Horton, community pharmacy owner, Adelaide, South Australia

Health comes first

Timing is everything

Approaching chronic disease management

Self-adjusted dosing

Starting the conversation

Knowing what invalidates a fast

1. Intranasal influenza vaccine introduced

2. The end of quadrivalent vaccines

3. Expanded registration of Fluad

4. Timing and urgency after a severe season

5. Vaccination rates remain dangerously low

More information for pharmacists

Pharmacist of the Year – Bente Hart MPS

Lifetime Achievement Award – Kate Gray MPS

Early Career Pharmacist of the Year – Mitchell Budden MPS

Intern of the Year – Karina Angelucci MPS

Knocking on doors

A workforce running on goodwill

The cost of saying no

Let pharmacists do what they are trained to do

Reform that matches need with value

How did you specialise in assisted reproductive therapy?

What does the role entail?

How do you help patients navigate their medicines regimen?