5CPA Programs Reference Group

(News released by PGA)

The announcement of a Programs Reference Group (PRG) to provide advice on the policy dimensions of new and continuing professional programs under the Fifth Community Pharmacy Agreement has been welcomed by the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia.

The PRG is designed to ensure there is wider input into professional programs and to provide a structured capacity to enable stakeholder views to be taken into consideration.

The PRG, which replaces the Fourth Agreement’s Professional Programs and Services Advisory Committee (PPSAC), also will provide advice to the Minister and the Agreement Consultative Committee (ACC).

For full content, please refer to Source/Attachment.

(2)New Program Reference Group in Fifth Agreement

(News released by PGA)

The Fifth Community Pharmacy Agreement will set up a new Programs Reference Group (PRG) to provide advice to the Minister and the Agreement Consultative Committee (ACC).

The PRG will provide advice on request on the policy dimensions of new and continuing Professional Programs in the Agreement. This new group will ensure there is wider input into programs, with structured capacity to take stakeholder views into consideration.

The PRG will consist of:

˙One member of the ACC appointed by, and representing, the Guild;

˙One member of the ACC appointed by, and representing, the Department who will also be the Chair;

˙One member appointed by the Minister to represent the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia;

˙One member appointed by the Minister to represent the Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia;

˙Three members appointed by the Minister, each having expertise in one of the following areas:

§rural pharmacy (the member appointed for this expertise being a practising rural pharmacist);

§health economics; and

§program evaluation;

˙Up to six members, each appointed by the Minister from an organisation representing any of the following areas:

§community pharmacy (the member appointed from this area being a practising approved pharmacist);

§pharmacist credentialing;

§consumers;

§Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander primary health care;

§general practice; and

§allied health.

For full content, please refer to Source/Attachment.