Pharmacists from across New Zealand learn about practical health assessments at the inaugural 'Pharmacist Prescriber Pathway Workshop'.
The inaugural ‘Pharmacist Prescriber Pathway Workshop’ has been completed and the School of Pharmacy is celebrating this milestone.
Pharmacists from across New Zealand gathered from 26-28 February at the University of Otago’s Adams Building in Dunedin to learn practical health assessment skills as part of their qualification.
This was the first in a series of workshops, supported by funding from Te Whatu Ora, which are designed to upskill pharmacists so they can prescribe medications.
This expansion of their professional scope will increase the ways in which pharmacists can support patients and the New Zealand health system.
“We’re so excited to see this first workshop come to fruition,” Associate Professor Alesha Smith says.
“Having more pharmacists in New Zealand who can prescribe medications would take a great deal of pressure off the health system and especially doctors who are currently carrying the weight of this practice.
“As medicine experts, we know our New Zealand pharmacists will make for excellent prescribers and so we’re elated to see the success of this and look forward to the other in-person workshops happening later in the year.”
Pharmacists undertaking this pathway will be required to complete the series of workshops and several other assignments and placement experience before achieving their ‘prescriber pathway’ qualification. Once they have that qualification, they can then apply to the Pharmacy Council of NZ for approval.
More workshops in the series will take place this month and in May. Further details of the ‘Pharmacist Prescriber Pathway’ are available here.
– Kōrero by the Division of Health Sciences Communications Adviser, Kelsey Swart
Pharmacists undertaking this pathway will be required to complete the series of workshops and several other assignments and placements before achieving their ‘prescriber pathway’ qualification.