THE first cohort for the Western Australian Enhanced Access Community Pharmacy Pilot (EACPP) has officially begun training, marking a key step in expanding community-based health care across WA.

Forty community pharmacists from all over the state have started their accredited Graduate Certificate training through James Cook University, in partnership with Curtin University.

Around 30 percent of participants are based in regional WA, including Albany, Carnarvon, Derby, and Port Hedland, bolstering the objective of improving healthcare access of Western Australians in regional and remote areas.

The training is subsidised by the government, with those in regional areas receiving higher training subsidies of up to $12,000.

The EACPP is on track for trained pharmacists to start providing care to the community by late next year, subject to training completion.

“We are giving community pharmacists more clinical skills so they can treat simple conditions safely and locally – helping to ease the load on GPs,” said WA Health Minister Meredith Hammat.

“The pilot reflects our commitment to making the most of our highly trained pharmacy workforce and strengthening care in the community.”

A public consultation will soon be launched on proposed regulatory amendments to support the pilot.

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