Overview
Last year, the pharmacy sector organisations committed to undertake a review of all elements of pharmacist prescribing including the competencies and the qualification pathway. Consequently, at that time the universities advised that the Postgraduate Certificate in Pharmacist Prescribing would not be offered again by either University until such time as this review was complete and a sustainable programme was agreed.
Whilst many of the elements of the review are underway, this work was not completed by either University in 2020. The Universities have started work on re-designing the programme and will be consulting with various professional pharmacy bodies throughout the development of the new prescribing programme. Otago hopes to start enrolments in 2023.
The role of pharmacist prescribers
Pharmacist prescribers are experienced pharmacists who work in patient focused roles in collaborative healthcare teams to optimise medicines use.
For example:
- In Primary care, general practitioners are now referring patients to pharmacists, who assess the patient and work in partnership with them to optimise their ongoing medicine use and prescribe for them. Example areas of prescribing practice include renal, diabetes, hypertension, gout, and management of cardiovascular risk.
- In hospitals, pharmacists are working as members of the clinical team who can now prescribe. Example areas of prescribing practice include renal, emergency admission, surgical preadmission, parenteral nutrition, paediatrics, and mental health.
Mentor information
Information for doctors considering mentoring a pharmacist to become a pharmacist prescriber (PDF)
