Inspections play a critical role in promoting and ensuring compliance with the regulatory framework.

Specifically, our goal is to regulate licensees and registered premises with a consistent standard that prioritises reducing public harm.

The VPA relies on the best available information and evidence to guide our regulatory decisions, ensuring actions are fair, reasonable, and proportionate. We will use our authority to sanction licensees who do not comply with the Pharmacy Regulation Act 2010 (the Act), VPA Standards or who act unlawfully, and we are committed to constantly refining our risk-based approach to regulation.

Last year, the VPA released a statement about our risk-based approach to inspecting registered premises. This document provides important information for stakeholders, especially about how inspections are categorised and outcomes are determined using this approach. In this circular the VPA answers common questions about inspections and highlights key points from our information evening on the VPA inspection program and risk-based approach for pharmacies, which was held on 19 June 2024.

I urge pharmacy owners and pharmacists with regulatory responsibilities to view compliance not merely as a requirement, but as a key element of effective governance and exemplary leadership.

David McConville
Chair, Victorian Pharmacy Authority