Higher Degree by Research Application Portal

Pharmacists in Australia will soon be working onsite in Residential Aged Care Facilities (RACFs) in a newly funded role recently announced by the federal government. It is important that this new role for embedding pharmacists in RACFs considers the existing evidence base for pharmacy development and practice-based interventions. We know that patient-specific interventions can improve outcomes, including mortality, but that education alone is insufficient. Research shows that educational programs delivered at residential aged care facilities to nurses or prescribing doctors demonstrated no change in mortality while deprescribing interventions that are person-specific and delivered by experienced clinicians demonstrated a significant reduction in mortality. These data indicate that we cannot simply provide education or expect pharmacists to undertake professional development to transition effectively into this new role. Pharmacists may have appropriate knowledge but be unfamiliar with the practice setting of RACFs, the organisational culture and the complexity of the patient mix. Pharmacists will need support, mentorship and feedback to apply their knowledge in this setting.  

This PhD will explore strategies to support and upskill pharmacists to undertake these roles.

Must meet the standard University admission requirements for the PhD course.

Must be a registered pharmacist with AHPRA;
Will ideally be credentialed to undertake home medicine reviews;

Apply via the Doctor of Philosophy course page.

Dr Amy Page | email