Role of The Pharmacist

It is an exciting time for the Australian community and public healthcare system as some pharmacists are practicing to their full scope as prescribers to treat minor ailments.¹   This initiative follows after qualified pharmacists have provided vaccination services to the community in some Australian jurisdictions since 2014.²
 

Pharmacists as medicine experts

The traditional role of a pharmacist will remain as “medicines experts” to educate, dispense and supply medications to patients in the general community.  Historically this has included consulting patients with acute conditions and now extending to the management of select chronic conditions and this is expanding.³ 

The pharmacist is responsible for ensuring the patient is counselled about the medicine, clarifying brand bioequivalence, providing expert advice on the side effects or any drug interactions associated with the medication and offering management techniques to minimise or overcome these.^4,5

It has been shown that a patient is willing to visit community pharmacies for professional-led services.⁸  A newly diagnosed patient often feels distressed and overwhelmed, and the pharmacist is an excellent point of contact, accessible for advice relating to a patient’s medication, medical condition or general health. 

Eye drop administration and storage

Specific technique is required to instil eye drops safely and appropriately to ensure maximum absorption.  A pharmacist can demonstrate the correct technique to administer eye drops and written instructions to accompany the advice.⁹  They can also further support patients with dexterity challenges with an eye drop device to assist with administering eye drops.¹⁰ Storage is another important consideration for prescription eye drops.  For example, if refrigeration is required for patients who are travelling, a cooler pouch will retain optimum temperatures for medication stability. 

Community pharmacy services – medication reminders

A patient with glaucoma will benefit from using their prescription eye drops regularly and an ophthalmologist, optometrist or general practitioner will anticipate compliance and adherence to their medication schedule. Many pharmacies will have a prescription ordering service such as a medication management app or SMS reminder service for patients to refill their medication orders.¹¹ This ensures medicines are replaced every month as some eye drops require refills every few weeks due to their restricted shelf life. 

Dosage Administration Aids (DAAs)

Community pharmacies also offer a dosage administration aids service (DAAs) to ensure medications are organised and packed safely and at the appropriate times required by the prescriber.  There may be a fee associated with the DAAs and the patient can be reassured of the medicines being arranged conveniently according to a prescribed medication chart.⁷ 

Medication Reviews

A Medscheck is an in-pharmacy medication review (free and no referral required) and a Home Medications Review (HMR) is a more comprehensive in-home review of medications (doctors referral required).⁶ There is eligibility criteria required to meet the requirements of a Medscheck or HMR. The outcome involves the pharmacist preparing a report sent to the general practitioner with recommendations to improve or enhance a patient’s medication regime.  Referrals to other health professions such as ophthalmologists or allied health professionals may be additional suggestions to the doctor.  A pharmacist is well positioned to refer patients for eye checks with their optometrists and can identify patients at risk by their medication and family history. 

In summary, the role of the pharmacist is an integral part of a patient’s healthcare journey. Community pharmacies can support the patient at the beginning of their glaucoma diagnosis and for ongoing maintenance of their eye condition and general health.  A range of pharmacy services are available to consumers and are readily accessible in the community. 

References 

1. The evolving role of Australian community pharmacists in vaccination: challenges and opportunities.  Immunisation Coalition (2024). https://www.immunisationcoalition.org.au/the-evolving-role-of-australian-community-pharmacists-in-vaccination-challenges-and-opportunities/ (accessed 7 October 2025)

2. History of Pharmacy Vaccination Services. The Pharmacy Guild of Australia (2025). https://www.guild.org.au/programs/vaccination-services (accessed 7 October 2025)

3. Queensland community pharmacy chronic conditions management pilot. Queensland Health (2025). https://www.qld.gov.au/health/contacts/community-pharmacy-pilot (accessed 7 October 2025)

4. Patient Medication Counselling for Pharmacists. Ausmed (2024).  https://www.ausmed.com.au/learn/articles/patient-medication-counselling (accessed 7 October 2025)

5. Generic prescription medicines: Fact Sheet.  Therapeutic Goods Administration (2020). https://www.tga.gov.au/news/news/generic-prescription-medicines-fact-sheet. (accessed 9 October 2025). 

6. Our work related to medicines.  Department of Health, Disability and Ageing (Australian Government) (2023).  https://www.health.gov.au/topics/medicines/related-work (accessed 9 October 2025).
    
7. Dose Administration Aids.  Pharmacy Programs Administrator (2025).  https://www.ppaonline.com.au/programs/medication-adherence-programs-2/dose-administration-aids (accessed 9 October 2025).
    

8. Consumer perceptions and preferences of pharmacist-led professional services and attributes in Australia: a qualitative focus group study.  BMJ Open. 2025 Jun 18;15(6):e101049. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2025-101049. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12184352/ (accessed 11 October 2025). 

9. How to administer eye drops. The Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital (2020).  https://eyeandear.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/How-to-administer-eye-drops-PF2.pdf (accessed 9 October 2025). 

10. Eyedrop instillation techniques, difficulties, and currelty available solutions: A literature review. J Curr Ophthalmol 2024 Mar 29;35(3):226–230. doi: 10.4103/joco.joco_308_22. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11047814/  (accessed 9 October 2025). 

11. Medication management app. Medadvisor International Pty Ltd (2023). https://www.mymedadvisor.com/medication-management-app (accessed 11 October 2025).