Changes to the rules governing the location of pharmacies in Australia will preserve a network of community pharmacies in appropriate sites across Australia.

The changes, to come into effect from 18 October this year, will update the rules in a way that will make them more transparent and effective. They have been agreed by both the Department of Health and Ageing and the Pharmacy Guild.

The Pharmacy Location Rules are in place to regulate the distribution of pharmacies, and to ensure Australia has a well distributed, sustainable and accessible pharmacy network.

Announcing the changes today, the Minister for Health and Ageing Nicola Roxon said they would benefit patients when pharmacists wanted to establish a new pharmacy in areas where there was a demonstrated community need.

Under the amendments, an existing pharmacy PBS approval is no longer required before a new pharmacy can be established in facilities such as shopping centres, large medical centres and private hospitals—or in towns where there is only one pharmacy. In relation to towns where there is only one pharmacy, this means a proposed additional pharmacy which meets all other criteria for approval, may be approved without the need to relocate an existing approval number.

The changes also include streamlining some of the previous rules, as well as simplifying the test for determining that there are a sufficient number of people who would use a new pharmacy.

The changes follow an independent review of the Pharmacy Location Rules conducted last year.

The National President of the Guild, Kos Sclavos, said the Guild supported the changes in the interests of the long term sustainability of what is widely regarded as the world’s best practice community pharmacy model.

Should you require advice regarding a pharmacy PBS, please contact the Principal Solicitor for GMH Legal, Mr George Hanna on 02 9587 0458 or by email on ghanna@gmhlegal.com .