Snapshot of the Australian Public Hospital Pharmacy Workforce in 2007

Abstract

ABSTRACTIn 2007, a workforce questionnaire was sent to 236 Australian public hospitals with more than 50 beds. This report details the data received from 108 public hospital pharmacy services and compares the results to the earlier surveys performed at the same time of year in 2001, 2003 and 2005. Key findings of the 2007 snapshot of the Australian public hospital pharmacy workforce are that: overall, 84 of the 1256 (7%) establishment pharmacist full‐time equivalent positions were vacant (similar to 2005); there has been a considerable increase in establishment pharmacist full‐time equivalent positions in public hospitals in the past 2 years. 35 respondents indicated the need for additional 133 pharmacist full‐time equivalent positions (or an increase of 11%) in the next 2 years. The majority of these positions were needed because of the expansion of clinical services, improving pharmaceutical review initiatives and the introduction of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. 30 of the 84 vacancies are in New South Wales (vacancy rate 11%). New South Wales also has a substantial gap between the actual and required number of pharmacist full‐time equivalent positions and a relatively low number of establishment pharmacist full‐time equivalent positions; on average pharmacists spent (similar to 2005) 47% of their time providing clinical services, drug information services, and training and education; 38% of their time acquiring, manufacturing and dispensing medicines; and 15% of their time managing the medicine and personnel resources of the pharmacy service and hospital‐wide activities, such as institutional drug policy management; the number of available pharmacy intern positions has only increased slightly despite a large increase in the number of pharmacy graduates; and the percentage of hospital pharmacy technicians with formal qualifications as a pharmacy technician or overseas pharmacist has increased to over 50% (26% Certificate 111, 11% Certificate 1V, 13% with other qualifications).