Pharmacy Accuracy Checking Technicians: PSNZ to Train 205

Pharmacy Accuracy Checking Technicians (PACTs) are set to play a greater role in New Zealand's community pharmacy workforce following a new training agreement between the Pharmaceutical Society of New Zealand (PSNZ) and Te Whatu Ora.

Under the agreement, PSNZ will offer up to 205 sponsored Pharmacy Accuracy Checking Technician placements over a 2.5-year period. The initiative is designed to strengthen the pharmacy workforce, improve efficiency in community pharmacies, and create a professional development pathway for pharmacy technicians.

What Is a Pharmacy Accuracy Checking Technician?

A Pharmacy Accuracy Checking Technician is a trained pharmacy technician who can perform the final accuracy check of a dispensed medication after the prescription has already been clinically checked by a pharmacist.

This distinction is important.

The pharmacist remains responsible for the clinical assessment of the prescription, while the PACT focuses on ensuring that the medication has been dispensed accurately according to the prescription and established procedures.

By introducing trained Pharmacy Accuracy Checking Technicians into the dispensing workflow, pharmacies can distribute responsibilities more effectively across the pharmacy team.

This can allow pharmacists to dedicate more time to activities that require their professional expertise, including patient consultations, medication reviews, clinical services, and other healthcare responsibilities.

PSNZ and Te Whatu Ora PACT Training Agreement

The Pharmaceutical Society of New Zealand entered into a new training agreement with Te Whatu Ora to support the development of Pharmacy Accuracy Checking Technicians.

Through the agreement, PSNZ planned to provide up to 205 sponsored PACT placements over the 2.5-year funding period.

The training period covered 1 November 2023 to 30 June 2026, with participating pharmacy technicians completing a structured 12-month training program.

The initiative was welcomed by PSNZ as an opportunity to strengthen the wider community pharmacy workforce while supporting pharmacy technicians in developing their careers.

Professor Braund, president of PSNZ at the time, described the additional PACT workforce as beneficial to both pharmacists and technicians.

The program was also intended to help address pressure created by pharmacist workforce shortages and increasing demand for pharmacy services across New Zealand.

How the PACT Training Program Works

The PACT training pathway is designed to prepare eligible pharmacy technicians to undertake the final accuracy check of dispensed medicines.

However, the process does not replace the pharmacist's clinical responsibility.

The medication must first undergo a clinical check by a pharmacist. Once that has been completed, a trained Pharmacy Accuracy Checking Technician can perform the final accuracy check of the dispensed medication within the scope of their role.

The training program takes 12 months and provides technicians with the knowledge and skills required to carry out this responsibility safely and consistently.

The basic workflow includes:

1. A prescription is received and processed by the pharmacy.

2. The pharmacist performs the required clinical check.

3. The medication is dispensed according to the prescription.

4. The trained PACT performs the final accuracy check.

5. The completed prescription can proceed according to the pharmacy's established procedures.

This type of workforce model can help pharmacies make better use of the skills of different members of the pharmacy team.

Why Pharmacy Accuracy Checking Technicians Matter

Community pharmacies face increasing demands for dispensing, patient care, and other pharmacy services.

At the same time, pharmacist workforce shortages can place additional pressure on existing pharmacy teams.

Pharmacy Accuracy Checking Technicians can help address some of these pressures by taking responsibility for a defined part of the dispensing process.

Instead of having pharmacists spend as much of their time on routine accuracy checking after the clinical check has been completed, appropriately trained technicians can undertake this responsibility.

This can create opportunities for pharmacists to focus more heavily on patient-centred care and clinical services.

The model can therefore benefit the entire pharmacy team rather than technicians alone.

Benefits for Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians

The expansion of the PACT workforce could provide several benefits for community pharmacy.

1. More efficient pharmacy workflows

A well-trained PACT can contribute to a more efficient dispensing process by taking responsibility for final accuracy checking within their defined scope.

2. More time for pharmacists

Delegating appropriate accuracy-checking responsibilities can allow pharmacists to spend more time on clinical and patient-focused activities.

3. A career pathway for pharmacy technicians

PACT training provides pharmacy technicians with an opportunity to develop additional professional skills and take on greater responsibility within the pharmacy team.

4. Support for the pharmacy workforce

The initiative can help pharmacies respond to workforce shortages and increasing demand for pharmacy services.

5. Better use of the wider pharmacy team

Pharmacy technicians possess valuable technical skills. Expanding their responsibilities can help pharmacies make better use of the capabilities of the entire team.

Who Can Apply for the Funded Placements?

The funded PACT placements were specifically intended for pharmacy technicians working in community pharmacies.

This focus reflects the role community pharmacies play in dispensing medicines and delivering healthcare services to patients across New Zealand.

The funded placements were not simply intended to increase the number of trained technicians. They were also designed to strengthen the community pharmacy workforce and support technicians who want to progress in their careers.

Priority for Māori, Pacific, and Rural Candidates

An important part of the program was its focus on improving access to training opportunities.

Priority placements were to be provided to eligible:

• Māori candidates

• Pacific candidates

• Rural candidates

Providing priority access to these groups can support a more representative and geographically distributed pharmacy workforce.

For rural communities in particular, strengthening the local pharmacy workforce can be important because healthcare professionals may be more difficult to recruit and retain in some areas.

The Background of PACT Training in New Zealand

The idea of using Pharmacy Accuracy Checking Technicians in New Zealand is not new.

An initial PACT project was undertaken during 2014 and 2015 to investigate the viability of this type of pharmacy workforce.

The results indicated that having a PACT could allow pharmacists to spend more time on patient-focused activities.

The findings helped demonstrate the potential value of appropriately trained pharmacy technicians taking responsibility for accuracy checking after the pharmacist's clinical assessment.

The later funding agreement between PSNZ and Te Whatu Ora represented another step toward expanding this workforce model within New Zealand community pharmacy.

What This Means for the Future of Pharmacy

The growth of Pharmacy Accuracy Checking Technicians reflects a broader movement in pharmacy toward making better use of the skills and expertise of the entire pharmacy team.

Pharmacists have increasingly diverse responsibilities. In addition to dispensing, they may provide medication reviews, vaccinations, clinical consultations, health advice, and other patient-focused services.

At the same time, pharmacy technicians have developed increasingly important roles in supporting safe and efficient medicine supply.

A structured PACT pathway can help pharmacies divide responsibilities according to the training and competence of individual team members.

The goal is not to replace pharmacists.

Instead, it is to allow pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to work together more effectively, with each professional contributing to areas where they are appropriately trained.

The 205 sponsored placements therefore represented more than an increase in the number of trained technicians. They also represented an investment in the future structure of the community pharmacy workforce in New Zealand.

A Win-Win for Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians

The PACT initiative demonstrates how expanding the role of pharmacy technicians can potentially benefit both technicians and pharmacists.

For technicians, it creates an opportunity to develop advanced skills and take on additional responsibilities.

For pharmacists, it can create more time to focus on clinical and patient-centred responsibilities.

For community pharmacies, it can support more efficient workflows.

And ultimately, for patients, a better-distributed pharmacy workforce can help pharmacy teams respond more effectively to growing healthcare needs.

The PSNZ and Te Whatu Ora agreement was therefore an important development in the continuing evolution of the pharmacy technician role in New Zealand.

As pharmacy services continue to expand, initiatives such as PACT training may help create a workforce in which pharmacists and technicians work collaboratively to provide safe, efficient, and patient-focused care.

Pharm Tech Important Link Bank:

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