The Pharmacy Guild has advised pharmacy owners across Australia to wait before collaborating with nurses after the ACT Government authorised nurse practitioners to work within a pharmacy.

The territory's government gave its approval to five nurse practitioners with prescribing powers to operate within a pharmacy in Tuggeranong following an application by Revive Clinic.
The clinic already has in-pharmacy nurses operating in Western Australia, NSW and Queensland, despite a condition imposed by the Federal Government last year requiring nurses to collaborate with doctors before being allowed to write out prescriptions under the PBS.

"If someone wants to establish a clinic such as this and provide nurse practitioner positions, they have to provide information around their scope of practice and clinical guidelines for their practice and, provided they meet the requirements of the legislation, then there is no reason not to approve," a spokeswoman for ACT Health Minister Katy Gallagher said.

"And in this case, the Revive Clinic has met all the requirements under the legislation."

Pharmacy Guild president Kos Sclavos, however, said it was "premature" for pharmacists outside the ACT to join up with nurse practitioners when state legislation did not support it.

"It is just a private scheme and as a private scheme the business model will not work and, therefore, it will be a drain on pharmacy resources because they are allocating space within the pharmacy," Mr Sclavos told Pharmacy News.

"It is still early days and until we see the outcomes, pharmacists should not be investing enormously in this because the model is not proven."

But according to Revive Clinic director Louise Stewart, nurse practitioners will help pharmacists grow their businesses and provide additional services.

"The presence of nurse practitioners in Australian pharmacies will allow pharmacists to expand their role as multidisciplinary health care providers," Ms Stewart said.

She said nurse practitioners could administer seasonal flu vaccines, as well as writing out prescriptions for contraceptives and minor ailments.

"The benefits of establishing a flu program in-pharmacy include increased traffic flow, over-the-counter sales, product recommendations and prescription sales," Ms Stewart said.