Our Organisation
There are over 35,000 registered pharmacists currently in Australia.
Our job is to ensure that they have the knowledge and competencies required for safe and effective practice at the point of general registration and beyond. Whether their journey is through Australian universities or from overseas, they must meet the high standards that we set.
What we do
We focus on pharmacy education and standards. Our main functions are to:
- develop accreditation standards for pharmacy education programs and organisations
- accredit pharmacy degree and intern training programs
- accredit organisations who accredit continuing professional development activities
- conduct written examinations for pharmacists and interns wanting to register in Australia and New Zealand
- assess the knowledge and experience of overseas trained pharmacists who want to migrate or practise in Australia
Pharmacist roles are evolving within an ever-changing healthcare environment. We progressively see advancing technologies, strong patient partnership and interprofessional collaboration. The standards we set produce socially accountable pharmacists who can address individual needs in this evolving healthcare system. This includes:
- enabling them to use skills fully as medicines experts to enhance patient health outcomes
- ensuring cultural safety (spiritual, social, emotional and physical)
- improving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health outcomes
- helping people with a disability
- working with other health professions
- developing a sustainable practice
Who we are
We are a company limited by guarantee and a registered charity with the Australian Charities and Not-for-Profit Commission.
APC has a long and proud history of 40 years of operation serving the community. We work under assignment from the Pharmacy Board of Australia within the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme (NRAS).
Our purpose
Improving healthcare by advancing and assuring quality in pharmacy education.
Our vision
To lead accreditation and assessment of education of the pharmacy sector nationally and internationally.
We put this mission and vision into action through our new Strategy to take us through until 2027. See our Strategic Priorities:
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Leading, influencing and collaborating
We will enhance our influence with key partners to create opportunities that facilitate and advance capabilities of the pharmacy profession -
Future focussed standards and assessment
Our approach to standard setting, accreditation and assessment is evidence-based, agile and socially accountable to meet future needs -
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ health
We commit to a health system free of racism and discrimination by contributing to a culturally safe pharmacy workforce -
An innovative, sustainable and resilient organisation
We embrace new ways of working that move us forward
Our core values
As part of our new strategy, we revised and increased our core values to 7:
Respect
We treat all people with courtesy, compassion and tolerance, and all situations are handled in a timely manner.
Life-Long Learning
We encourage intellectual curiosity and ongoing personal and professional development.
Support
We care about our fellow team members and stakeholders. We own and learn from our mistakes, build resilience and celebrate success.
Innovation
We actively seek new ways of working with the aim of improving efficiency and effectiveness.
Creativity
We encourage originality, enquiry, risk-taking, critical thinking and diversity. We are constantly striving for excellence.
Transparency
We are open, honest and trustworthy in all we do. We take responsibility for our actions.
Fairness
We treat everyone in an impartial, equitable, ethical, sensitive and just manner.
Courage
We support one another to take calculated risks to achieve our goals.