Page 16 - Pharmacy careers guide

Rural pharmacy
Australian pharmacies are categorised using the Pharmacy Access/Remoteness Index of Australia (PhARIA) categories ranging from category 1 (highly accessible) to category 6 (very remote).
Remote refers to “places that are geographically, professionally and personally isolating with limited access to medical support and peers” (PhARIA Categories 5 and 6); while rural refers to places with “some restricted access to goods, services and social interaction” (PhARIA Categories 2–4).
Rural and remote communities of Australia lack access to healthcare and experience poorer health status than their regional and metropolitan
counterparts. Chronic illnesses are more prevalent and proper management is limited by the
shortage of healthcare professionals. Working in
a rural practice can broaden a pharmacist’s career prospects, allows them to gain awareness of cultural diversity and offers opportunities to work more collaboratively with healthcare teams.
Rural community pharmacies are usually larger in size, have lower fixed costs and experience less competition than metropolitan pharmacies. The scarcity of health services and the heavy burden of chronic illnesses, means that rural pharmacies also tend to provide a wider range of health related services such as disease screening and disease state management.
Pharmacists may also work in rural/regional hospitals, regional universities and Aboriginal Health Services (AHS). AHS is a State/Territory or community controlled organisation which offers primary healthcare services to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people. AHS is responsible for providing medications to patients in a safe and appropriate manner while adhering to relevant legislation.
Academic pharmacist
Rural pharmacy
Hospital pharmacist
Consultant pharmacist
Community pharmacist
Pharmacist in Aboriginal Health Service
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