The VPA Circular provides regular updates on regulatory matters, professional standards, and emerging industry issues to ensure stakeholders remain informed and compliant with their obligations.
The VPA Circular provides regular updates on regulatory matters, professional standards, and emerging industry issues to ensure stakeholders remain informed and compliant with their obligations. This includes essential information regarding statutory requirements, policy developments, and best practice standards to the pharmacy sector.
Welcome to the VPA’s December circular.
A highlight of this year has been the improved inspection program with an enhanced focus on the VPA Standards and other high-risk areas. The updated premises self-audit form provides a tool for licensees to monitor their own compliance, better prepare for inspections and facilitate more efficient inspections. There are also clear business benefits arising from improved compliance.
Proprietors are reminded to be aware of their responsibilities and obligations, ensuring compliance with legislation and the VPA Standards in registered premises, consistent with the Pharmacy Board of Australia's Guidelines for proprietor pharmacists. Licensees are expected to show proactive leadership, management and good governance in their pharmacies and to ensure systems are in place to ensure ongoing compliance in their absence.
In this circular, we include information on the VPA’s public register and a reminder about the requirement to notify the VPA whenever there is a change to any pharmacy business commercial arrangements.
We include an update on recent Panel hearing outcomes and a case study highlighting how a comprehensive response to an inspection may circumvent further action by the Authority.
On behalf of the VPA members and staff, I wish you a happy and safe festive season and best wishes for the new year.
David McConville
Chair, Victorian Pharmacy Authority
It has been a period of significant change at the VPA. We celebrated Senior Pharmacist David Thirlwall’s retirement earlier this year and recognised his many contributions to the work of the VPA. Experienced VPA inspector Jessica Webster stepped into the Senior Pharmacist role from April this year.
We thank Marie Ritchie for her contributions as an Authority member. Marie recently completed her second 3-year term as a community member of the VPA. We welcome Jane Hill, an accomplished leader in health and community services, who was appointed as a community member from 1 July 2024.
It was pleasing to see and meet many licensees, pharmacists and stakeholders at our recent hybrid information evening on the VPA inspection program and risk-based approach for pharmacies. The session highlighted licensees’ compliance obligations under the regulatory framework and high-risk areas which typically form the focus of inspections. Our recently published Statement of Regulatory Approach includes information on the risk-based approach and is intended to support licensees to develop a strong and effective compliance culture.
An increased focus on risk management requires licensees to identify and appropriately manage risks in their pharmacies and pharmacy departments. The updated VPA self-audit form is a valuable tool designed to assist licensees and pharmacists with this task by auditing their compliance with key requirements of the Act, VPA Standards, VPA guidelines and good pharmacy practice. The revised VPA Guidelines also include new guidance to support compliance with the standards relating to risk management.
David McConville
Chair
The Victorian Pharmacy Authority (VPA) is established under section 81 of the Pharmacy Regulation Act 2010 (Act) to regulate the ownership and operation of pharmacy businesses, pharmacy departments and pharmacy depots through the functions specified in section 82 of the Act.
