ACOP Measure sees successful adoption rates 12 months on

Brisbane North PHN has been supporting the implementation of the Aged Care Onsite Pharmacist Measure. Twelve months on, the adoption rate of the measure has been extremely successful in our region, with more than one third (36 per cent) of residential aged care homes (RACHs) already engaging an Aged Care Onsite Pharmacist (ACOP).

The Aged Care Onsite Pharmacist Measure was developed as a direct response to the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, with the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing providing funding to employ on-site pharmacists in RACHs. On-site pharmacists regularly review medications to reduce medication-related harm and optimise the use of medicines.

Initial feedback from RACHs has been universally positive, with one home citing the new roles as ‘an indispensable part of our team’, noting they could not imagine going back to the previous model of working now that the ACOP is in place.

Feedback regarding resident experiences have also been overwhelmingly positive, with staff noting how grateful residents are to be able to visit the pharmacist in their home and how much value has been added for families who can now regularly consult on their loved one's medication management with the ACOP.

RACH nurses are also benefiting from the program with on-site education and training, while historically challenging periods, like transition from hospital, are improving with the increased medication oversight.

As part of Brisbane North PHN’s support of the measure’s implementation, the Care Provider Connect portal was extended earlier this year to include ACOPs. Via the portal, ACOPs and pharmacy providers can express their interest in working in RACHs and RACHs can advertise their need for an ACOP.

Brisbane North PHN will continue to support the remaining RACHs in our region to explore if the measure is right for their facility, and if so, help them to engage an ACOP.