A reciprocal relationship: informing a profession’s competency standards

More than ever, pharmacy graduates require broad-ranging knowledge, skills and attitudes (competency) to enable them to be responsive and adaptable professionals in a rapidly changing Australian healthcare system - a system reliant on individuals working in interdisciplinary teams managing an increasing chronic health burden. These workplace competencies are declared through pharmacists’ registration requirements and the National Competency Standards Framework for Pharmacists in Australia (NCS). To ensure practice readiness, learning must be grounded in the essential competencies defined by the profession. The Tertiary Education Quality Standards Agency and Australian Pharmacy Council mandate that Australian pharmacy courses evidence that the NCS inform their curricula. Literature suggests international pharmacy curricula are also informed by competency standards. Interviews with key stakeholders were analysed using thematic analysis to offer an insight into Australian pharmacy educators’ perspectives on the current use, enablers of and barriers to use of the NCS. The authors’ resulting recommendations may prove useful in informing the renewal of the NCS and improve their usability for all members of the pharmacy ecosystem, including educators.