Australia’s ageing population is reshaping the role of community pharmacies, with new national strategies highlighting their potential to deliver more connected, efficient, and patient-centred aged care. Under the Pharmacy Guild of Australia’s 10-year plan Towards 2035, pharmacies are positioned to become key partners in medication management—not only for aged care homes, but also for older Australians living independently.
Today, pharmacies already support more than 3,000 aged care homes with medicine supply, adherence support, dose administration aids (DAAs), and clinical oversight. However, fragmented workflows and inconsistent funding models often limit how effective these services can be. The push for modernised practices, including digital charting and integrated clinical systems, aims to change that. The Electronic National Residential Medication Chart (eNRMC) is a major step forward, reducing transcription errors, streamlining dispensing, and improving communication across prescribers, pharmacists, and aged care teams.
For older Australians receiving care at home, the growing emphasis on outreach pharmacy services and DAA offers practical benefits. DAAs- pre-packed weekly or monthly medication organisers- have been linked to higher adherence and fewer medication-related hospitalisations, especially among those managing multiple medicines. These tools become even more effective when supported by digital systems that provide a single, reliable source of truth for medication records.
As aged care reforms continue nationwide, community pharmacies are expected to play a larger role in supporting safety, continuity, and independence. With technology shaping the next decade of care delivery, the collaboration between aged care providers and pharmacies will be central to improving outcomes for older Australians, whether in residential care or at home.