The Australian pharmacist workforce: Employment status, practice profile and job satisfaction

• Published in: Australian health review Vol. 37; no. 1; pp. 127 - 130
• Main Authors: Mak, Vivienne S L, Clark, Alice, March, Geoff, Gilbert, Andrew L
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Australia 01.01.2013
• Subjects: Adult; Biomedical Research; Community health services; Employment; Employment - classification; Employment - statistics & numerical data; Faculty - statistics & numerical data; Female; Health administration; Health Care Reform; Health services administration; Humans; Job Satisfaction; Male; Medication Therapy Management - statistics & numerical data; Middle Aged; Needs Assessment; Pharmacies - organization & administration; Pharmacist and patient; Pharmacists; Pharmacists - classification; Pharmacists - supply & distribution; Professional Role; South Australia; Supply and demand; Surveys and Questionnaires; Victoria; Young Adult; Australia; Victoria; South Australia
• DOI: 10.1071/AH12180
• ISSN: 0156-5788

Objective. The aims were to determine Australian registered pharmacists' current employment status, practice profile and professional satisfaction. Method. A questionnaire was mailed to all registered pharmacists (n = 7764) on the Pharmacy Boards of Victoria and South Australia's registers; 19 were returned undeliverable. Quantitative data were entered and analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences Version 17. Qualitative data were subjected to a thematic analysis. Results. 1627 (21%) pharmacists responded: 259 (16%) were registered as pharmacists but no longer worked in the pharmacy profession. A total of 1366 respondents reported still working as pharmacists. Of the 1366, 912 (67%) indicated that they spend most of their time in a clinical area; 233 (17%) spend most of their time in 'non-clinical pharmacist work (i.e. dispensing as technical supply)'; 216 (16%) worked in other non-clinical roles and; 1053 (77%) were professionally satisfied. Conclusion. Measuring the pharmacist workforce based on registration data significantly overestimates the available clinical pharmacist workforce: 708 (44%) respondents were no longer working in the profession, were not mainly involved in clinical practice or were working in non-clinical roles.A significant re-professionalisation program is needed if pharmacists' unique knowledge and skills are to contribute to better healthcare delivery.