FAQs
The Authority approves and registers pharmacy business premises and manages and regulates pharmacy ownership.
The Pharmacy Control Act 2001 was amended in 2011 to replace the then Pharmacy Board with the Tasmanian Pharmacy Authority. The Authority is NOT simply a re-named version of the Tasmanian Pharmacy Board, although it has taken over some of the functions of the old Board. The responsibilities of the old Board were divided between the new Authority and the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) when AHPRA became responsible for the registration of all Health Practitioners in Australia in 2011.
The Authority does not manage such matters as:
- the registration of pharmacists;
- professional practice;
- competency;
- the training of ancillary staff;
- concerns regarding the conduct of a pharmacist;
- concerns regarding the legal prescribing, dispensing, or supply of medication.
For questions regarding the poisons legislation in Tasmania, please contact Pharmaceutical Services Branch of the Department of Health on 6166 0400.
For information or concerns regarding the conduct of a pharmacist, please contact the Pharmacy Board of Australia, which has its services administered by Ahpra, on 1300 419 495.
For information regarding registration or training of pharmacists, please contact the Pharmacy Board of Australia, which has its services administered by Ahpra, on 1300 419 495.
Yes, provided you are a registered pharmacist, you may own a pharmacy in Tasmania. Please read the section: Owning a Pharmacy in Tasmania
You can only own a pharmacy in Tasmania if you are a registered Pharmacist. If you are a general practitioner, as well as a registered pharmacist, you can own a pharmacy in Tasmania.
Generally, the Pharmacy Authority has no restrictions on how many pharmacies can be in any one area. Please contact us to discuss.
Under the Pharmacy Control Act 2001, a pharmacist may only have an interest in four (4) pharmacies in Tasmania. This applies whether in your own name, or in a company or trust in which you may be a director, shareholder, trustee or beneficiary.
Yes, a close relative of a pharmacist can be a part of pharmacy ownership, even if they are not a pharmacist. This is only possible through corporate ownership. For example, they may be a shareholder of a company which owns the pharmacy (but they can’t have a majority or controlling interest). They could also be a beneficiary of a trust.
Once you have been issued with an Eligibility Certificate, you can own a pharmacy in Tasmania. All Eligibility Certificates, either for individuals or companies, need renewal each financial year. You must also complete an Annual Declaration and return it with your renewal to advise of any changes to contact details and to declare that any company or trust involved in pharmacy ownership has not undergone any changes to those details which are currently held by the Authority.
Your premises registration and pharmacy numbers can be found on your business premises registration certificate.
It can also be found on the list of Registered Pharmacy Premises. All pharmacies are listed in alphabetical order.
The Authority meets on the first Wednesday of each month. Please ensure all applications to be considered are submitted to the Registrar at least ten (10) days prior. Any late items will be deferred to the following month.
No, the Pharmacy Authority does not have an office. All correspondence is completed through email or phone. The Registrar is responsible for any communications but this position is not a full time position. Please allow 24 hours for any queries to be answered. Email is the preferred method of correspondence.
There is no law to regulate this, however, many pharmacists do display their Premises Certificate in their pharmacy. If you need an extra copy, please contact the Registrar.
Yes, the company is a different entity which will own a pharmacy in its own right (possibly in conjunction with another company). If you own a pharmacy as an individual, you need an Eligibility Certificate and if you own a pharmacy as a director of a company, that company must also hold an Eligibility Certificate. If you own a pharmacy as an individual who is trustee of a trust, you will hold the Eligibility Certificate as an individual.
However, if you only own a pharmacy on a corporate basis, you do NOT need your own individual Eligibility Certificate.
There are some exemptions to holding an Eligibility Certificates such as when a company (the holder of the Eligibility Certificate) has shareholders who are individuals that are trustees of a trust. These trusts (and their trustee) are exempt from needing to hold an Eligibility Certificate but the trustee must be a registered pharmacist.
Several pharmacists are in partnership (or have companies who each hold an interest in a pharmacy). Does everybody need an Eligibility Certificate?
Yes, for example, Pharmacy ABC is owned by Fred Bloggs, John Doe as trustee for the John Doe Trust and Jane Smith Pty Ltd. Each one of those entities need an Eligibility Certificate.
The Pharmacy Authority conducts inspections on a three year cycle. However, if a pharmacy has changed owners or undergone renovations or relocated, it will be inspected again, generally within three months of those events occurring. The Pharmaceutical Services Branch of the Department of Health also conduct their own inspections.
Yes, the Authority prefers professionally drawn plans, showing the dimensions and locations of all required areas. As the Authority makes all decisions on approvals from the information you provide, we need complete plans which are easy to read. The inspection of the area is carried out after the area is approved and any deficits which are found must be remedied. This can be an expensive exercise for you if it occurs. To avoid this, the more information you provide, the less risk that you will need to alter anything after the final approval is given. Please read the Alterations section for more information.