Expanded practice for rural community pharmacy: what are we waiting for?

Objective: To synthesise stakeholder (consumer, pharmacist and health professional) perspectives of expanded pharmacy practice in rural and remote community pharmacy.

Methods: Comparison of perspectives of stakeholder groups identified by four studies has highlighted the expected outcomes and anticipated barriers to expanded pharmacy practice. Aligning the studies has identified priority areas of health for which pharmacists may be able to provide expanded service delivery.

Key Findings: Expanded pharmacy services are supported by consumers, pharmacists and health professionals and are expected to improve health outcomes for rural and remote populations. Barriers will need to be overcome for expanded services to be sustainable in the future.

Conclusion: The pharmacy profession will need to undertake a paradigm shift to professional practice and work towards this should begin to reduce the health inequality for rural populations.