WA pharmacy academics and students are welcoming the extension of a state government plan to train more healthcare professionals to diagnose and treat certain illnesses.

Under the Enhanced Access Community Pharmacy Pilot, announced in September 2025, pharmacists across urban and regional WA are being upskilled to prescribe medication for 17 medical conditions.

The state government announced an additional $4.1 million will be invested towards the scheme this week, allowing another 200 pharmacists to begin their training.

Curtin University School of Diagnostic and Therapeutic Sciences Associate Professor Tin Fei Sim says the move is strongly welcomed by the pharmacy community.

She says the state’s ageing population will benefit from more healthcare options, taking pressure off of the sector as a whole.

“An ageing population comes with increased healthcare needs, and it comes with increased medication usage,” she says.

“Many of the cases that we’re seeing that are presenting, for example, to an emergency department could be managed safely and competently by our highly trained clinicians like our general practicioners”.

However, Dr Fei says access to doctors can be a challenge at the moment, and giving pharmacists more abilities to diagnose will take the pressure off of GPs and hospitals.

She says it is a way for the entire health system to work together.

“We need to do this together as a team.”

Associate Professor Tin Fei Sim

Pharmacy students are also pleased at the possibility of being able to diagnose in the near-future. Curtin University student Loren Retta says she feels limited in her practical ability given the extensive education on a range of illnesses.

“Without the prescribing pilot it would be like we learn all these skills, and then it feels like you’re limited in what you can do,” she says.

“You can actually go to your full scope and apply everything you’ve learnt.”

Pharmacy student Isabelle Bode says the pilot, which will allow students to utilise all their knowledge, will also be beneficial to patients.

“Given the amount of clinical knowledge that we learn in Uni it would only be beneficial to patients if we can apply that in our practice,” she says.

Especially helpful for Regional WA

Dr Fei also highlights the importance of the pilot for regional and rural areas of the state.

Many towns in these areas of WA do not have hospitals or regularly operating GP clinics, but they do have pharmacies. She says extra training for existing, regional pharmacists will provide more options and accessibility to populations in these areas where healthcare is limited.

“In Western Australia we have over 700 community pharmacies.

“This is an existing point of healthcare contact that we should be tapping into.”

Graduates to their full potential

Pharmacy students also believe the state government-funded pilot opens the door for graduates in the discipline to reach the full potential of their education.

All 17 illnesses included as a part of the EACPP are already taught in the undergraduate pharmacy curriculum. Dr Fei says the scope of what students can practice will soon be widened.

She insists students are trained to follow “very stringent guidelines”, making them qualified for further training in diagnosis.

Pharmacy student Ciara Lynch says she and her peers are excited for the pilot to allow them to use their skills at a higher level.

Ms Bode says the extra competences have created excitement over working in the field of pharmacy.

“There seems to be excitement about working in a profession that isn’t stagnant and that’s constantly evolving,” she says.