UK and Australia pharmacist exchange programme

An exciting opportunity lies ahead for the recently qualified pharmacists in the UK as they are being invited to apply for an Australian exchange programme to experience community pharmacy in Australia.

The National Pharmacy Association (NPA), the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC), the Pharmacy Guild of Australia and the World Pharmacy Council have established this programme for pharmacists, supported by a scholarship.

A scholarship of $Au50,000 (£26,000) will be awarded to the successful applicant, who will spend between four and twelve months in Australia, and later will be invited to speak to the annual conference of the World Pharmacy Council.

The programme will give an opportunity to pharmacists to develop their practice and become an advocate for the profession.

As part of the programme, the UK applicant is encouraged to have a sponsoring pharmacy which would host the Australian pharmacist for part of their time in the UK. Meanwhile, the Pharmacy Guild of Australia will assist the UK scholar with finding a placement in Australia.

All eligible applicants must submit their applications by March 16, 2022. The eligibility criteria are:

• Have completed an undergraduate pharmacy qualification and hold current registration as a pharmacist with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) or Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland (PSNI);
• Have been working for less than 5 years in a pharmacy role;
• Currently employed in an independent community pharmacy role;
• Citizen of a World Pharmacy Council member country;
• Can commence their exchange within six months of receiving the scholarship.