As we wrap up the 2025-2026 membership renewal period, PDL would like to use this as an opportunity to remind pharmacists of the support offered. PDL’s core functions include assisting members with incident notification and management, as well as offering risk minimisation advice. These services are provided by the organisation’s dedicated pharmacist Professional Officers. With the increasing complexity of pharmacy practice, Professional Officers are frequently called upon to address a broader spectrum of enquiries. While PDL strives to assist its members with practice-related issues, there are scenarios in which Professional Officers may not be able to provide guidance. This Practice Alert aims to clarify the scope of advice offered and identify situations in which pharmacists may need to seek assistance from external organisations or individuals who are better equipped to address specific concerns.
PDL regularly reminds pharmacists that scope of practice is defined by an individual’s education, competence, authority and accountability to provide a service or response. It is no different for a PDL Professional Officer with the added caveat that advice must be in line with the purpose of the PDL policy. Therefore, the Professional Officers are very mindful of the limits to the advice that can be offered. It is important to note that Professional Officers do not establish or enforce pharmacy-related regulations, standards or guidelines. While they may assist members in locating and navigating relevant legislation, they cannot interpret such documents. Consequently, there may be instances where the Professional Officers cannot assist and will refer pharmacists to the appropriate organisation for further guidance.
Scope of Professional Officer support
PDL’s Professional Officers are equipped to engage with members on the following matters
- Incident reporting and management
- Risk minimisation advice and activities
- General professional practice enquiries related to a pharmacist’s scope of practice and risk management
Limitations of Professional Officer support
It is crucial to understand the boundaries of the support provided by PDL’s Professional Officers. They do not possess the authority or expertise to assist with the following areas:
- Interpretation of pharmacy-related regulations
- Wellbeing and emotional support services
- Clinical advice
- Legal or employment-related advice
- Business insurance matters, including theft, fire, slips and falls
PDL also offers an after-hours service to its members, which is designed specifically for situations involving immediate and significant risk to a patient or pharmacist. Calls received afterhours are triaged through a professional call centre. Situations that don’t need immediate action are directed for follow-up during business hours (9am-5pm AEST) by a Professional Officer. Should you need to report an incident or have received correspondence from a regulatory agency, you can lodge an incident report and access resources via the PDL member portal.
For pharmacists seeking wellbeing or emotional support, PDL recommends the services provided by the Pharmacists’ Support Service (PSS). PDL is proud to support PSS and refer members to this service, which operates 365 days a year from 8am to 11pm (AEST) and can be reached by calling 1300 244 910.
PDL remains committed to supporting pharmacists in their professional practice, while ensuring advice is provided within the appropriate scope and framework.
PDL members can call 1300 854 838 for advice and incident support from one of our Professional Officers.
