Three Armadale pharmacists will soon be able to diagnose and provide treatment for certain common health conditions as part of a WA initiative to improve access to primary healthcare across the state.
The state government said the Armadale trio was part of 40 additional pharmacists who started training at the University of Western Australia for the enhanced access community pharmacy pilot (EACPP) program.
Pharmacists who have completed an approved university graduate certificate would be able to assess, manage and treat a range of conditions in a community pharmacy setting and be able to prescribe certain Schedule 4 medications, according to the Department of Health (DOH).
The EACPP service included 17 conditions which could be diagnosed by an authorised pharmacist.
Conditions include asthma, smoking cessation and shingles.
The Royal Australian College of GPs (RACGP) chair Ramya Raman said quality patient care should be protected.
She said any reforms should strike the right balance between improving access and ensuring quality patient care.
“Patients deserve convenience and safety,” Dr Raman said.
“We support innovation but diagnosis, follow-up and continuity aren’t optional extras.
“These safeguards exist for a reason, to catch red flags, prevent misdiagnosis, ensure antibiotics are used appropriately and to keep people well.
“Any model that bypasses these puts Western Australians at risk.”
Dr Raman said the government must first prove the pilot was safe before expanding training to more pharmacists.
“Before WA scales this pilot, we need independent, published evidence showing that issues are being identified promptly, antibiotics are being prescribed appropriately, and results and clinical notes are reaching a patient’s usual GP the same day,” she said.
“A GP’s comprehensive, specialist medical training allows them to look beyond the obvious. We consider complex histories and ensure one health issue isn’t masking another.”
A spokesperson said the state government had invested more than $1.2 million to subsidise training costs and encourage pharmacists to undertake the training.
“Of the 90 pharmacists that are now training to take part in the pilot, 34 of them are based in rural and regional WA,” the state government said.
“The DOH has prioritised allocation of subsidies to areas with a shortage of GP services.”
The spokesperson said the pilot was on track to launch in late 2026, subject to training completion.
