Pharmacists call for medicine safety program support

25 February 2026

 

The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA), Australia’s peak body for pharmacists, is urgently calling on the Federal Government to support the delivery of vital medicine safety programs to patients, with the current situation putting the health of many Australians in growing jeopardy.

 

The PSA, in its 2026–27 Federal Budget Submission, said reforms are long overdue, with many people, especially those in residential care, older Australians, or people living with chronic and complex conditions, needing regular and urgent management of their medicines to not only keep them well but prevent emergency hospitalisation.

 

The PSA is seeking support for the following medicine safety services delivered by credentialed pharmacists in patient homes and aged care facilities:

• Home Medicines Reviews (HMRs) 

• Residential Medication Management Reviews (RMMRS) and Quality Use of Medicines (QUM) 

• Aged Care On-Site Pharmacists (ACOP) program 

 

The key points of PSA’s Budget Submission include: 

• reinstating the pharmacist service fee indexation for the delivery of pharmacy services in the homes of patients and in aged-care settings, frozen since 2019 

• removing the monthly cap on services delivered by credentialed pharmacists. 

• allowing flexibility for programs to be delivered via telehealth to ensure timely, equitable access to pharmacist care when in-person services are not practical or safe

 

“Without urgent investment, these medicine safety programs are becoming unsustainable, leaving more patients at risk of emergency hospitalisation from unresolved problems with their medicines,” said PSA National President Professor Mark Naunton MPS.

 

“The next Budget is a critical opportunity to modernise long-neglected pharmacy programs and deliver stronger patient care to all Australians, particularly those most at risk of medicine-related harm.

 

“This is about restoring and securing better outcomes for Australians who rely on medicines for their health and wellbeing.

 

“Supporting these programs will increase productivity in the health system by reducing wait times, strengthening workforce sustainability, and improving the safe use of medicines for high-risk groups.

 

“We know patients are falling through the cracks, often waiting months for time-critical medicine safety reviews,” said Professor Naunton.

 

The PSA stands ready to work with governments to implement these measures immediately through the First Pharmacy Programs Agreement across primary and aged care.

 

The PSA’s 2026-27 Federal Budget Submission is available here.

 

Media contact: Leah Jacobsen 

M: 0480 099 798   E: leah.jacobsen@psa.org.au 

The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia is the only national peak body that represents all of Australia’s pharmacists across all practice settings. We want every Australian to have access to the best healthcare, and this must include optimising access to pharmacists’ knowledge and medicines expertise at the forefront of our healthcare system.