At PSA, we recognise the pivotal role credentialed pharmacists play in healthcare. As part of our commitment to supporting you at every stage of your career, we are excited to offer exclusive benefits to Professional Plus members. These benefits are specifically designed to help in Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and also help in gaining new credentials. Interested in learning more about how we’re supporting credentialed pharmacists? Click on the button below.
Pharmacist Credentialing
Welcome to the Home of Credentialed Pharmacists
About Accreditation
PSA is the natural home for credentialed pharmacists and will be offering a full accreditation credentialing program from 2024 following the closure of the Australian Association of Consultant Pharmacy (AACP). PSA will also offer a complete package of support and ongoing training for credentialed pharmacists and those looking to become accredited, alongside this credentialing program.
PSA has a strong vision for the future of accreditation and we want to see accreditation become a major career pathway for pharmacists. We will continue to advocate for credentialed pharmacists.
While we are still awaiting confirmation from the Australian Department of Health and Aged Care regarding the new program rules for credentialed pharmacists, we will keep you informed of developments as we learn more.
If you are interested in becoming a credentialed pharmacist, click the button to enrol.
Updates for Credentialed Pharmacists
Monday 29 April 2024
MRNs extended to 2025
The Department of Health and Aged Care has confirmed that Medication Review Numbers (MRNs) will now be valid until 30 June 2025, allowing credentialed pharmacists additional transition time to meet the Australian Pharmacy Council (APC) standards via undertaking an APC accredited MMR recognition of prior learning process or training program.
This extension will also ensure MMR services can continue to be claimed, and recipients of medication reviews are not impacted. If you are accredited you will be notified by PPA directly tomorrow (30 April).
PSA has been in discussions with the Department for some time to ensure that transition arrangements are in place to minimise disruption to patient services and allow the existing workforce to continue providing MMR services in the immediate term.
I’m pleased to see action from the Department to allow these services to continue.
For HMR and RMMR claiming purposes, your PSA, AACP, ACP or SHPA MRN will remain valid until 30 June 2025, or until an updated MRN has been issued as a result of undertaking an APC accredited MMR recognition of prior learning process or training program, whichever occurs sooner.
Please note, as per the current process in the PPA Portal, if a MMR Credentialed Pharmacist transfers to a new training provider and receives a new MRN through that training provider, they will need to use the new number provided when claiming HMR/RMMRs
Wednesday 17 April 2024
What you need to know about PSA credentialing
As we get closer to officially launching PSA’s credentialing program, I write to share some early information on our credentialing program pending accreditation with the Australian Pharmacy Council.
PSA is currently the only credentialing provider to pursue a full suite of credentialing – that is to provide credentials for both Medication Management Reviews and the Aged Care On-site Pharmacist (ACOP) program, as well as offering a pathway for recognition of prior learning (RPL) to recognise the experience of practising credentialed pharmacists in line with the Accreditation Standards for MMR and Aged Care On-site Pharmacist education programs | Australian Pharmacy Council.
PSA’s priority and commitment to workforce development have not changed. We are delivering a program which minimises disruption to patient services, at the same time ensure your experience and the expertise of the existing workforce is recognised. PSA continues to approach this fast-moving practice area with the intent to support our workforce, and that the credentialing/recredentialing process must be achievable and affordable.
All pharmacists who have already undergone credentialing will be able to apply for PSA’s recognition of prior learning as part of the new credentialing process. PSA’s recognition of prior learning process is open to all pharmacists, regardless of membership status.
Expressions of interest are open now. Submit an EOI to be the first to know when the program is live and enrolling.
PSA continues to advocate for appropriate transition arrangements, with the Department of Health favourably inclined to extend the MRN for a period of time. An announcement will be made in the near future.
Submit your EOI here
Your PSA membership has more value than ever
PSA is proudly offering currently credentialed pharmacists the new MMR credential with RPL at no cost as part of our streamlined process for PSA Professional Plus members.
Professional Plus members have access to a range of PSA benefits, including specialised support dedicated to credentialed pharmacists. We will have more to say on this in the coming weeks.
Get RPL for your MMR credential for FREE with Professional Plus membership
Sign up or upgrade to Professional Plus membership and complete the EOI to be the first to hear when the program is launched.
The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia is on the brink of launching our highly-anticipated Credentialed Pharmacist Directory. This will be a valuable new feature on our website aimed at connecting credentialed pharmacists like yourself with individuals and healthcare providers in need of specialised pharmacist services.
Why should you join the Credentialed Pharmacist directory?
- Visibility – Gain unparalleled exposure to an extensive network of patients and healthcare providers actively searching for your specialised pharmacist expertise.
- Credibility – Providing this visibility amplifies your reputation, associating you with PSA’s seal of excellence.
- Opportunity – This is a direct channel for career advancement, collaboration, and potential revenue streams you won’t find anywhere else.
Who would use this directory?
- Pharmacies – who may be looking for a credentialed pharmacist to undertake a HMR.
- Healthcare Providers: Doctors, hospitals, and clinics will use this directory as their first port of call for pharmacist consultancy.
The PSA hear the call for a directory for ALL credentialed pharmacists and as such will make this available free to all. If you are not yet a member of the PSA, please consider supporting the organisation that is supporting you, find member benefits here.
To be featured, we’ll need your explicit permission. If you are interested in this opportunity, and did not receive an email on 2/11/23 please first check your junk email and if still unable to find it email us at accreditation@psa.org.au
We look forward to featuring you in our Credentialed Pharmacist Directory and helping you gain wider recognition in the field.
On Friday 5 May 2023, David Laffan, Assistant Secretary at the Department of Health and Aged Care announced that all MRNs will be extended until either new standards for training providers are finalised or 30 June 2024.
This extension is designed to further support accredited pharmacists through this transition phase following the closure of the AACP on 31 December 2022.
The MRN is your identifier within the system for payment for MMRs. With the closure of the AACP it is anticipated that new identifiers will be used, and all accredited pharmacists will be advised regarding changes.
Your MRN will remain valid within the Pharmacy Programs Administrator Portal. This will ensure currently Accredited Pharmacists can continue to utilise their existing AACP Accreditation to provide services and to be remunerated for them.
It should be noted that there are no planned changes to the current HMR and RMMR program rules at this time and that these medication management programs will continue to be funded.
PSA is waiting on further advice from the Department and will advise accredited pharmacists as soon as additional information is available.
Revised consent forms are now available from the PPA website
The HMR and RMMR patient consent forms were updated on 1 January 2023 to remove verbal consent. This was in line with the removal of telehealth services, essentially returning the programs to pre-pandemic rules.
This was the only change to the consent forms.
Note that consent for RMMR services can be verbal in limited scenarios.
Apologies for the delay in PSA communicating this as this change occurred during the transition time following the closure of the AACP in December 2022.
PSA has been advised that if, during compliance activities, the PPA identify any services where verbal consent has been obtained using the old patient consent form during the first 3 months following the cessation of telehealth, they will take an educative rather than punitive approach (providing there are no other issues found).
Please note this educative approach doesn’t extend to any claims where PPA finds the service itself was conducted via telehealth post 1 January 2023, as every Service Provider registered in the Portal for HMR/RMMR was advised in advance via email, as an update on the PPA website and on the PPA Portal log-in page that telehealth was ceasing on 1 January 2023.
Awards
PSA will be awarding an Credentialed Pharmacist of the Year to be announced at CPC24.
Nominations are now CLOSED.
Credentialed Pharmacists Conference 2025 (CPC25)
Join your fellow Credentialed Pharmacist’s at PSA’s CPC25.
Receive a discount on registration fees to PSA’s dedicated CPC25, if you are a PSA Professional Plus Member . Click the button below to join our Professional Plus membership and enjoy the many benefits.
If you’re already a PSA member and would like to upgrade or renew your membership to Professional Plus, please contact our friendly membership team on 1300 369 772 or at membership@psa.org.au for the assistance.
CPD Catalogue
To view our large range of CPD courses, click on the View CPD catalogue button (below).
- Scroll down to “Select a role”
- Select “Medication Management Review Pharmacist”
- Choose from our wide range of courses.
FAQs
Why did PSA/PGA make the decision to close AACP?
PSA continues to endorse measures that would decrease entry barriers to accreditation – such as by increasing competition of providers and by increasing government-funded accreditation places.
PGA has publicly advocated to remove the requirement of accreditation to claim for HMR/RMMR funding. PSA does not support this position.
Why weren’t we consulted on these changes?
There was written agreement between the AACP, PSA and PGA to make the announcement only after the agreement was signed.
Does PSA/PGA want to abolish accreditation?
PSA strongly supports retaining pharmacist accreditation and has a strong vision for accreditation to become a major career pathway for pharmacists. Accreditation is an important step to assure patients, aged care providers, GPs and funders that pharmacists are competent to conduct comprehensive medication reviews. PSA acknowledges the need for pharmacists to develop and maintain the skills attained during accreditation to be a minimum required for activities like RMMRs and HMRs.
What does this mean for those currently accredited?
We are waiting on a final decision from the Australian Department of Health and Aged Care on what requirements will exist for reaccreditation, we anticipate you will need to be a member of an accrediting body so recommend you become/remain a PSA member so that you have access to tools, support and ongoing education.
PSA is providing all accredited pharmacists with access to our accreditation resources until 1 April 2023 as part of these transition arrangements. Join PSA as a Professional Plus Member to maintain access to PSA’s accreditation resources beyond 1 April 2023.
What does this mean for the standard for accreditation?
The program rules that set the standard for accreditation are determined by the Commonwealth Department of Health. PSA is advocating for this standard to be maintained and has a strong view that quality of care needs to be improved. The Department and other stakeholders have accepted there may be other organisations that want to offer accreditation, and that the program rules should enable this. PSA, as a joint owner of AACP, will continue fighting to protect AACP’s legacy.
What does this mean for those currently undertaking AACP accreditation?
Pharmacists already undertaking accreditation credentialling with AACP can continue to do so until AACP ceases operations at the end of 2022. From 1 Jan 2023, these pharmacists can continue to complete their accreditation credentialling with PSA. The AACP have sent an email to all pharmacists undergoing accreditation, you will need to reply to this with your choice of future provider.
The AACP have sent an email to all pharmacists undergoing accreditation, if you have already replied to the email with your choice of future provider as PSA, PSA had received your contact information. We are waiting for the data of the study results from AACP. We will send you an email with further updates in late Jan 2023.
What does this mean for those looking to undertake accreditation in the future?
If you have not started the credentialling process, we encourage you to enroll in Stage 1 with PSA. Once complete you may continue to Stage 2.
If you have already completed Stage 1, you may enroll in Stage 2 with PSA from 1 January 2023.
Will I need to become a PSA member if I am already undertaking accreditation or want to remain accredited?
PSA is awaiting confirmation from the Australian Department of Health and Aged Care regarding whether accredited pharmacists will be required to be a member of an accrediting body. PSA believes membership should not be compulsory and is advocating for that position.
The Department of Health and Aged Care has advised they will implement a transition period whereby the AACP MRNs that are valid as of 31 December 2022, will remain valid until 30 June 2023 within the Pharmacy Programs Administrator Portal. This will ensure currently Accredited Pharmacists can continue to utilise their existing AACP Accreditation to provide services. The Department will continue to consult regarding future arrangements in February 2023.
How much will accreditation and reaccreditation cost?
PSA will not charge reaccreditation fees. For the current pricing, visit here.
Why is accreditation important?
PSA acknowledges that all pharmacists are medicine experts and are trained to counsel, support and provide care for patients. Quality training of pharmacists in medication knowledge, communication, and counselling equips pharmacists with additional skills to provide high quality, complex medication review services through collaborative care models with other health care providers. Accreditation provides opportunity for career pathways and progression, a key pillar of PSA’s ongoing advocacy for roles, remuneration and recognition of pharmacists. PSA acknowledges the need to reduce the financial barrier to reaccreditation and is committed to advocating for higher quality training and support.
