To practise in the pharmacist or intern pharmacist scope of practice in New Zealand you must be registered and hold an Annual Practising Certificate (APC). To register you must meet the prescribed qualifications (both academic and competence-based) set by the Pharmacy Council under the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 (HPCAA).
The scopes of practice describe the health services that form part of the profession of pharmacy. The scope for a pharmacist is broad, and includes all the services and roles that a pharmacist could perform as part of their practice. The scope for an intern pharmacist requires them to work under the direct supervision of a pharmacist.
Registration in Scope of Practice for a Pharmacist
To register in the Scope of Practice of a pharmacist, an applicant must have the prerequisite qualifications in pharmacy, meet the Competence Standards for the Pharmacy Profession and the fitness to register requirements under the HPCA Act 2003.
If you are a New Zealand or Australian B.Pharm graduate you must first register in the intern pharmacist scope and complete the requirements of the intern training programme. If you are an applicant who obtained registration in Australia, United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, USA, or other countries, or you were previously registered in New Zealand and wish to be reinstated to the register, choose the appropriate category for more information as to how you can gain registration in New Zealand.
Pharmacist Scope of Practice
Because the profession is diverse the Scope of Practice for a pharmacist is broad. This means that an individual practising pharmacist may only be practising some of the roles described in the scope below:
The practice of pharmacy includes the custody, preparation and dispensing of medicines and pharmaceutical products; the provision of advice on health and well-being, including health screening, and the selection and provision of non-prescription medicine therapies and therapeutic aids. The pharmacist acts as a medicines manager, ensuring safe and quality use of medicines and optimising health outcomes by contributing to the selection, prescribing, monitoring and evaluation of medicine therapy. The pharmacist researches information and provides evidence-based advice and recommendations on medicines and medicine-related health problems to patients, their carers and other healthcare professionals. The pharmacist is an integral part of the healthcare team.
The practice in this context goes wider than pharmacists directly working with patients to include teaching, advising, research, policy development and management, given that such roles influence clinical practice and public safety.
If a pharmacist is practising in any of the services described in the scope they must have an Annual Practising Certificate (APC), and will be required to demonstrate they are maintaining competence in their areas of individual practice. The pharmacist will be able to demonstrate that they are maintaining their competence by participation in a CPD-based recertification programme.
Pharmacists who are not practising or providing services described in the scope may remain registered on the non-practising register, but unless they have an APC they must agree not to practise.
Intern Pharmacist Scope of Practice
The Intern Pharmacist must always practise under the supervision of a registered practising pharmacist. The Intern Pharmacist Scope of Practice describes all the services which every intern pharmacist must demonstrate competence in prior to registration as a Pharmacist.
The practice of pharmacy includes the custody, preparation and dispensing of medicines and pharmaceutical products; the provision of advice on health and well-being, including health screening, and the selection and provision of non-prescription medicine therapies and therapeutic aids. The intern pharmacist, practising under the supervision of a practising registered pharmacist, acts as a medicines manager, ensuring safe and quality use of medicines and optimising health outcomes by contributing to the selection, prescribing, monitoring and evaluation of medicine therapy. The intern pharmacist researches information and provides evidence-based advice and recommendations on medicines and medicine-related health problems to patients, their carers and other healthcare professionals. The intern pharmacist is an integral part of the healthcare team.
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