Community Pharmacy Expanded Scope of Practice initiative

Under the new Community Pharmacy Expanded Scope of Practice Initiative (the Initiative), South Australians will be able to attend a local pharmacy to access additional high quality healthcare advice and services for a broader range of common health conditions from trained pharmacists.

Expanding the scope of practice of pharmacists will provide consumers with additional healthcare access and options, and support, reducing pressure on the health system including emergency departments and primary care.

Rollout of service provision in South Australia will be phased, commencing in 2026.

From January 2026, community pharmacists who have successfully completed the approved training and obtained authorisation can offer consultations to assess and treat the following common acute, health, and wellbeing conditions:

  • Acute exacerbations of mild plaque psoriasis
  • Acute minor wound management
  • Acute nausea and vomiting
  • Acute otitis externa
  • Acute otitis media
  • Allergic and nonallergic rhinitis
  • Gastro-oesophageal reflux and gastro-oesophageal reflux disease
  • Herpes zoster (shingles)
  • Hormonal contraception
  • Impetigo
  • Management for overweight and obesity
  • Mild acute musculoskeletal pain
  • Mild to moderate acne
  • Mild to moderate atopic dermatitis
  • Oral health risk assessment and fluoride application
  • Smoking cessation
  • Travel health

SA Health will consider the of implementation of community pharmacy expanded scope of services for the 3 chronic disease management programs (asthma, COPD and CVD risk reduction) mid-2026 once data from interstate pilots is reviewed.

This initiative will build on the successful implementation of the Community Pharmacy Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) and Community Pharmacy Oral Contraceptive Pill (OCP) Resupply Services.

Pharmacist training requirement for participation in the Initiative

To participate in the Initiative, pharmacists must successfully complete a SA Health approved additional postgraduate training program.

Approved training courses

The training for pharmacists will be:

  • Accredited by the Australian Pharmacy Council (APC) in accordance with the Accreditation Standards for Pharmacist Prescriber education programs
  • Recognised as an Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) Level 8 Graduate Certificate.
  • Approved by the SA Department for Health and Wellbeing (DHW) and published on the Community Pharmacy Expanded Scope of Practice Initiative webpage.

Information on SA Health approved courses will be available as submissions are reviewed.

Education providers interested in submitting a program for consideration should contact Health.CommunityPharmacyInitiatives@sa.gov.au.

Training subsidy

The South Australian Government has committed to supporting South Australian community pharmacists to participate in the Initiative by offering a training subsidy for up to 120 pharmacists. The subsidy will cover 50% of the enrolment fees for a SA Health approved course.

The subsidy amount is determined by your primary practice location, with increased subsidies being available to community pharmacists employed in rural and remote areas.

Training subsidy
Pharmacist practice location Available subsidy
Modified Monash category 1-3 Up to $7,000
Modified Monash category 4-7 Up to $8,500


You can check the Modified Monash category of your practice location.

Eligibility criteria

To be eligible to be considered for the SA Government subsidy, pharmacists must demonstrate that they:

  • Hold unconditional general registration with the Pharmacy Board of Australia
  • Are currently employed by a community pharmacy in SA, with at least 6 months of employment history
  • Currently reside in the state of South Australia
  • Have a demonstrated commitment by their employer to enable service provision
  • Have not previously completed the course(s).

Applying for the training subsidy

Round 1 of the EOI for subsidised training has now closed. Applicants will be notified of the outcome via the email address they provided.

Additional opportunities will be announced as they become available.

See the SA Community Pharmacy Expanded Scope of Practice Initiative frequently asked questions (PDF 133KB) for further information.

Hardship subsidy

Pharmacy owners located in rural and regional areas classified under the Modified Monash Model (MMM) categories 4 to 7 may be eligible for an additional subsidy. Eligibility will be determined on a case-by-case basis.

This subsidy is intended to support the ongoing provision of pharmacy services in rural and regional communities by assisting with associated costs, such as engaging a locum pharmacist. The subsidy aims to ensure that pharmacies can continue operating while pharmacists attend mandatory face-to-face training sessions.

Hardship subsidy requests should detail the impact of supporting pharmacists to attend expanded scope of practice training courses and should be submitted via email to the Health.CommunityPharmacyInitiatives@sa.gov.au.

Next steps

The Office of the Chief Pharmacist is working with key stakeholders to progress the models of care, clinical governance framework and approve training and education programs for this exciting initiative.

More information will be provided as the planning progresses.