Victorian Community Pharmacist Statewide Pilot: Summary report

The Community Pharmacist Statewide Pilot (the pilot) commenced in Victoria in October 2023. An independent evaluation of the pilot was conducted in late 2024, and this report shares outcomes from the pilot’s first 12 months of operation, along with key findings from the evaluation.

The pilot was designed to test an expanded role for community pharmacists. It allowed appropriately trained community pharmacists to provide certain prescription-only medicines (Schedule 4) and vaccines as part of the following services:

1. Resupply of select oral contraceptive pills without a prescription for women (16–50 years).
2. Treatment for uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTIs) in women (18–65 years).
3. Treatment for herpes zoster (shingles) and flare-up of mild plaque psoriasis for people 18 years and older.
4. Vaccinations for travel, as well as vaccinations for hepatitis A, hepatitis B, poliomyelitis and typhoid.

The pilot aimed to increase access to affordable, local primary healthcare.

Pharmacists provided more than 23,000 services in the first 12 months of the pilot. During that time, no serious safety concerns were reported, and levels of patient satisfaction were consistently high.

Safety and quality were the highest priorities in the pilot’s design. Participating pharmacists used evidence-based clinical guidelines and completed specified training, so they were equipped to deliver the new services.