MEDIA RELEASE | Monday, 21st June 2021

Professional Pharmacists Australia have been working closely with the Victorian Government to get more pharmacists on the ground to deliver COVID-19 vaccines in settings across Victoria, including in regional and rural areas.

Professional Pharmacists Australia President Geoff March said that it was critical that pharmacists’ skills were utilised to their full extent to ensure more Victorians get the COVID-19 vaccination.

“With recent outbreaks of the Delta variant of the COVID-19 virus striking our cities and triggering costly lockdowns to protect community health, it’s absolutely vital that we use all of the resources at our disposal, and that includes our highly skilled pharmacists who are now being deployed to the Victorian Government’s large vaccination centres.

“We have long advocated that community pharmacy be integrated into the health system and not be seen or treated in isolation, for example, in establishing the opportunity for pharmacists to work alongside medical practitioners in doctor surgeries.

“It’s absolutely fantastic to see pharmacists assist in delivering COVID-19 vaccines at Victoria’s mass vaccination hubs.”

Dr March said the Victorian Government had moved quickly to close this gap and ensure more pharmacists are being employed to deliver COVID-19 vaccines in settings across Victoria.

“We encourage pharmacists to use their skills to help more Victorians get the COVID-19 vaccination and to continue to push for recognition of their full skill set and role as health professionals”

Dr March said that the current recruitment focus includes:

• recently retired pharmacists listed on the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra) pandemic response sub-register;
• fourth year pharmacy students who hold current student registration with Ahpra;
• intern pharmacists that holds provisional registration with Ahpra;
• pharmacy technicians, and
• all registered pharmacists, irrespective of whether they are pharmacist immunisers.

Free training is available and upon registration, eligible staff will be able to provide their availability and preferred location. The positions being offered are paid positions.

If you are interested in registering for the COVID-19 vaccination workforce, go to www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/covid-19-vaccine-program-workforce 

Media Contact: Darren Rodrigo 0414 783 405