Independent Pharmacies Australia (IPA) is strengthening its support for community pharmacy through its Expanded (Full) Scope of Practice Support Program, equipping its member pharmacists with the clinical capability, confidence and business support to deliver expanded services in-store.

With 31 pharmacists having completed the program and a further 84 enrolled this year, IPA is seeing strong momentum as more pharmacists move to embed expanded scope into everyday practice.

IPA Managing Director Steven Kastrinakis said the program reflects IPA’s long-term commitment to the future of independent pharmacy.

“For IPA, ‘Here for Good’ means standing beside community pharmacists for the long term,” he said. “It’s about giving pharmacy owners and their pharmacists the capability and confidence as their role continues to evolve to deliver more for their patients, while building sustainable, future-ready pharmacies. And as part of our new IPA Community Pharmacy membership, we are contributing $5,000 per pharmacy to help remove barriers and support members to undertake expanded scope of practice training.”

IPA member Ben Wishaw, owner of Twin Waters Pharmacy, said practising to his expanded scope enables him to deliver more comprehensive care.

“Practising to expanded scope means operating as the best pharmacist I can be and providing better healthcare to the people around me,” he said.

“IPA supported me from day one, from training to assessments, as well as business support such as consultation room preparation, procedures and policies, and in-store promotion to embed services into everyday practice.”

IPA’s program combines clinical education with practical, in-pharmacy execution, supporting members to integrate services, workflows and patient engagement into their business.

As part of its ongoing commitment, IPA will host its second Pharmacist Academy Conference from 20–22 July in Manly, NSW to further enhance members’ expanded scope of practice capabilities.

By bridging clinical capability with operational delivery, IPA is positioning independent pharmacies as accessible, trusted healthcare destinations and ensuring that their member pharmacies are ready to play a greater role in Australia’s primary healthcare system.

END

Media Contact:
Nimfa Martinez
Head of Communications, Events & PR
Independent Pharmacies Australia
Email nimfa.martinez@ipagroup.com Phone 0433 122 713

About IPA

At IPA, we are unifying independent pharmacies to help Australian communities access convenient and affordable healthcare. As the largest independent pharmacy network with circa 1100 member pharmacies, we are on a journey to make IPA known to Australians as a leading healthcare and pharmacy brand. To achieve this, we are using our scale to simplify pharmacy operations through our technology, health programs, merchandise solutions, and training. We are also creating marketing programs and tools to amplify the unique care our pharmacies offer to their communities.

Website: www.ipagroup.com

 

The first thing I like to do when I meet a pharmacist is ask them to tell me about their pharmacy. This simple question can uncover a critical vulnerability – many pharmacies rely heavily on a single factor to determine their success. For example, your pharmacy might have a medical centre right next door, driving 90% of scripts, a strong aged care packing contract, or a corporate office nearby with high foot traffic. But what happens if this local lifeline disappears? Even something as simple as a local supermarket closing can redirect scripts to the next town. These scenarios are risks that can threaten your business overnight. The unthinkable does happen.

However, the good news is that you can plan to help mitigate external risks to your business. These include:

1. Plan from a Position of Strength

Risk mitigation starts before the crisis – not during or after. When options become limited, your ability to respond diminishes. Focus on building resilience now. When buying a pharmacy you should consider any “concentration risk” and how to mitigate the pharmacy’s dependency on that revenue stream.

2. Keep Your Finances Fit

• Be meticulous with your lease and loan terms, know your bank covenants
• Never cross-subsidise the cashflow or equity of one pharmacy with another—or worse, with personal assets like your home, if it can be avoided, better to make the hard financial decisions and conserve cash
• If you must, ensure any security is released as soon as practical by the bank…you’ve earned that right.
• Understand your insurance policies and what you really are covered for and the excesses that apply

3. Manage Your Balance Sheet

• Maintain healthy working capital: debtors, inventory, and prepayments should be as lean as possible.
• Have a cash buffer or contingency plan
• Stretch payments to suppliers within industry norms to preserve liquidity.
• Generate sales aggressively but stay within commercial market parameters.
• Have a positive relationship with your bank, meet with them even when times are good, my golden rule is never surprise the bank
• Temporarily restructure your debt obligtions

4. Act Quickly and Seek Help

If something changes in your business environment, don’t avoid decision making. Instead, take decisive action and consult experts early. The sooner you respond, the better your chances of navigating uncertainty. Pharmacy is a dynamic industry, and while you can’t predict every challenge, you can prepare for them.