NOTICE OF SCOPES OF PRACTICE AND RELATED QUALIFICATIONS PRESCRIBED BY THE PHARMACY COUNCIL
The Pharmacy Council ("the Council") will assume its full responsibilities under the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 ("the Act") on 18 September 2004. This notice will take effect from that date.
Scopes of Practice
Pursuant to section 11 (1) of the Act, the Council specifies two scopes of practice as follows:
1. Scope of Practice - Pharmacist
The practice of pharmacy includes the custody, preparation and dispensing of medicines and pharmaceutical products, the provision of advice on health and well-being, including health screening, and the selection and provision of non-prescription medicine therapies and therapeutic aids. The pharmacist acts as a medicines manager, ensuring safe, quality use of medicines and optimising health outcomes by contributing to the selection, prescribing, monitoring and evaluation of medicine therapy. The pharmacist researches information and provides evidence-based advice and recommendations on medicines and medicine-related health problems to patients, their carers and other healthcare professionals. The pharmacist is an integral part of the healthcare team.
The practice in this context goes wider than pharmacists directly working with patients to include teaching, advising, research, policy development and management, given that such roles influence clinical practice and public safety.
2. Scope of Practice - Intern Pharmacist
The practice of pharmacy includes the custody, preparation and dispensing of medicines and pharmaceutical products, the provision of advice on health and well-being, including health screening, and the selection and provision of non-prescription medicine therapies and therapeutic aids. The intern pharmacist, practising under the supervision of a practising registered pharmacist, acts as a medicines manager, ensuring safe, quality use of medicines and optimising health outcomes by contributing to the selection, prescribing, monitoring and evaluation of medicine therapy. The intern pharmacist researches information and provides evidence-based advice and recommendations on medicines and medicine-related health problems to patients, their carers and other healthcare professionals. The intern pharmacist is an integral part of the healthcare team.
Qualifications Prescribed for Registration in a Scope of Practice
1. Pharmacist Scope of Practice
Pursuant to section 12 of the Act, the following qualifications are prescribed for registration as a pharmacist:
1. New Zealand Pharmacy Graduates
a. Bachelor of Pharmacy, University of Auckland; OR
b. Bachelor of Pharmacy, University of Otago; AND
c. Successful completion of Preregistration Programme of Pharmaceutical Society of New Zealand (Inc.).
2. Australian Registered Pharmacists - Trans Tasman Mutual Recognition
a. Current registration with any one of the Pharmacy Boards of Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania, ACT, Northern Territories, Pharmacists Board of Queensland or Pharmaceutical Council of Western Australia; AND
b. Successful completion of Pharmacy Council Oral Assessment of
New Zealand Pharmacy Practice Law and Ethics.
3. United Kingdom and Eire Registered Pharmacists
a. Bachelor or Master of Pharmacy from RPSGB-accredited University in UK or EIRE (Competent Authority); AND
b. Current registration with any one of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain, Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland or Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland; AND
c. Successful completion of Pharmacy Council Oral Assessment of New Zealand Pharmacy Practice Law and Ethics.
4. Registered Pharmacists applying from countries other than Australia, United Kingdom, Northern Ireland and Ireland
a. Pharmacy Degree and post-registration work experience in pharmacy deemed by the Council as equivalent in content and learning outcomes to a current New Zealand Bachelor of Pharmacy; AND
b. Current registration as a pharmacist with a Pharmacy Registration Authority in the same country of registration where the degree in 4 (a) was completed; AND
c. Successful completion of Preregistration Programme of Pharmaceutical Society of New Zealand (Inc.).
2. Intern Pharmacist Scope of Practice
Pursuant to section 12 of the Act, the following qualifications have been prescribed for registration as an intern pharmacist:
a. Bachelor of Pharmacy, University of Auckland; OR
b. Bachelor of Pharmacy, University of Otago; OR
c. Pharmacy Degree from a country other than Australia, United Kingdom, Northern Ireland and Ireland, along with any relevant post-registration work experience in pharmacy, deemed by the Council to be equivalent in content and learning outcomes to a current New Zealand Bachelor of Pharmacy AND current registration as a pharmacist with a Pharmacy Registration Authority in the country of registration where the degree was completed.
Dated at Wellington this 10th day of August 2004
JOAN BAAS, Registrar, Pharmacy Council