The role of Pharmacy Manager has changed measurably since the 1978 job descriptions were implemented. Hospital Pharmacy practise is more complex and pharmacy departments now provide

many additional services apart from the traditional dispensary based operations. The advent of the Pharmacy Act has added additional pressure for Pharmacy Managers as they are

now deemed to be Superintendent Pharmacists operating a retail pharmacy business.

There are few (if any) other departments operating in hospitals that face as much regulatory pressure as Hospital Pharmacies. The complexity of the Superintendent Pharmacy and Pharmacy Owner relationship

must be negotiated by Pharmacy Managers; this is not helped by reporting structures which often mean the “owner” is many steps away in a complex management chain.

It is welcoming to see the development of pharmacy services and regulation to improve the breadth and quality of services we provide to our patients. However Pharmacy Managers should not be expected to operate in an environment where they are unsupported and unrecognised by management.

The implementation of the Review of Hospital Pharmacy will create the Director of Hospital Pharmacy and Director of Medicines Management role,

Hospital CEO or General Manager, thus facilitating meaningful engagement between superintendent and owner.

The Review also provides for a rotational Area Director role, platform for Pharmacy Managers in different hospitals to work collaboratively for the betterment of patient care. As noted above the development of Deputy Director will relieve some of the operational pressures faced by Pharmacy Managers.