Snapshot of the Australian Public Hospital Pharmacy Workforce in 2003

Abstract

Aim:To update the survey of the Australian hospital pharmacy workforce undertaken in 2001. Method: A questionnaire was sent to 303 Australian hospitals with an identified hospital pharmacy service. Data returned from 128 public hospital pharmacy services were analysed and compared to the earlier study. Results: Key findings were: 1. 107 (10%) of the 1054 establishment pharmacist full-time equivalent positions were vacant (an improvement from 14%); 2. the vacancy rate for pharmacists had decreased in South Australia (23 to 2%) and increased in Queensland (11 to 17%); 3. 1 in 3 hospital pharmacists worked part-time; 4. 1 in 3 hospital pharmacists had postgraduate qualifications; 5. the number of pre-registrant positions had increased with the greatest growth in New South Wales; 6. less than 40% of pharmacy technicians had any formal qualification; and 7. more than half of the hospital pharmacy services were planning to introduce new services in the next 2 years; mostly related to improving clinical services and medication safety. This would require an additional 100 pharmacist positions. Conclusion:The percentage of vacant positions had fallen slightly since the earlier survey. While there had been some improvement in the vacant establishment pharmacist full-time equivalent positions, over 100 pharmacist positions remain unfilled. Ongoing retention and recruitment strategies to meet anticipated demand and further reduce the number of vacancies in hospital pharmacy will be required.

Workforce and Service Delivery Analysis across New Zealand Hospital Pharmacy Departments

“…An Australian survey reported that over 50% of hospital pharmacists had more than 10 years experience, and a UK census that almost 50% were in senior grades usually requiring postgraduate qualifications. 2,14,18 Our study and an Australian study indicated that 20% and 30% of hospital pharmacists respectively had postgraduate qualifications. 2 Our findings on gender (75% of pharmacists were female) were similar to those of the New Zealand Pharmaceutical Society Census, and the UK census.…”

Current status of human resources and training in hospital pharmacy

“…13 A vacancy rate reduction from 23% to 2% was observed in one Australian state that had a fourfold increase in the domestic pharmacist supply. 24 Between 2001 and 2005 in Ghana, there was a 40% increase in the pharmacist work force and an 80% increase in the hospital setting due to an increased number of pharmacy graduates. 4 However, workforce levels have since stabilized in Ghana due to work-force attrition matching work-force entry.…”

“…24 Twelve percent of hospital pharmacist positions in England and Wales were vacant in 2007, with the highest vacancy rate for junior pharmacist positions at 17%. 13 Pharmacists with fewer years of experience cited low income as a more important issue than did pharmacists with more experience.…”

“…28 Flexible working arrangements, such as parttime contracts and shared-staffing between hospitals, may be pragmatic solutions against a background of work-force shortages and resource constraints in employing pharmacists and pharmacy technicians in rural hospitals. 24,29 Automation has been proposed as a mechanism for reducing workload and improving efficiency of services. A comparative study of preimplementation and postimplementation of a robotic prescription-filling system in a hospital pharmacy in the United States indicated that, despite its reduction in the overall prescription-filling time, use of the robotic system necessitated a greater percentage of pharmacy technicians' time.…”

“…12 Hospitals unable to fill pharmacist vacancies in Australia utilized nurses to provide services or supervise pharmacy technicians. 24 Nurses specializing in dispensing and administration have also been utilized to improve efficiency and reduce medication errors on wards in one U.S. case study, which also enabled pharmacists to expand clinical services. 31 …”