Standards of Practice

SHPA's Standards of Practice series is widely utilised and well-referenced by pharmacists and health professionals seeking guidance on the delivery of clinical, operational and specialty hospital pharmacy services. The series draws on the collective expertise of SHPA members across all areas of practice, and is written by the respective Specialty Practice Leadership Committees or a dedicated Working Group. 

SHPA is undertaking a comprehensive review and expansion of the series with enhancements relevant to current practice. Members will have the opportunity to provide feedback on draft Standards during advertised consultation periods. Both the new and revised Standards will be published in the Journal of Pharmacy Practice and Research (JPPR), available as a member benefit. For more information about the Standards contact the Specialty Practice team via specialtypractice@shpa.org.au.
 

Standards of Practice Library (JPPR)

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Last chance: have your say on the draft Transitions of Care Standard of Practice!

The final consultation on the Standard of Practice for Pharmacy Services Specialising in Transitions of Care closes at 11.59pm AEST on Sunday, 28 April 2024

REVIEW STANDARD + SUBMIT FEEDBACK 

Standards of Practice

Clinical Pharmacy

All Standards reference and rely upon the SHPA Standards of Practice for Clinical Pharmacy Services as the foremost Standard. Planned and published operational and specialty specific standards are shown below.

The Clinical Pharmacy Standards project is currently developing an updated and revised Standard of Practice for Clinical Pharmacy Services and will be inviting member feedback on drafts during 2024. 

SHPA Committee of Specialty Practice in Clinical Pharmacy.
SHPA Standards of Practice for Clinical Pharmacy Services.
J Pharm Pract Res 2013; 43 (2 suppl): S2-S69.

Bunte M.
Standards of practice for clinical pharmacy services – Chapter 16: My Health Record.
J Pharm Pract Res 2021; 51: 536-51.  https://doi.org/10.1002/jppr.1774

Cardiology

Pizzi J, Livori A, Connell C, Hort A, Prosser A, Zhang C, Ziser K, Munro C, Mellor Y.
Standard of practice in cardiology for pharmacy services.
J Pharm Pract Res 2022; 52: 59-71. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jppr.1795.

Clinical Trials

Slobodian P, Challen J, Ching M, Hong E, Nikolajevic‐Sarunac J, Shum B, Vosk C, Munro C.
Standard of practice in clinical trials for pharmacy services.
J Pharm Pract Res 2020; 50: 429-44.  https://doi.org/10.1002/jppr.1676

Compounding Services

A new standard of practice to replace the SHPA Guidelines for Medicines Prepared in Australian Hospital Pharmacy Departments [2010] is in development. The existing 2010 standard is available to SHPA members on request.

Critical Care

Johnston K, Ankravs MJ, Badman B, Choo CL, Cree M, Fyfe R, Roberts JA, Xu J, Munro, C.
Standard of ​practice in intensive care for pharmacy services.
J Pharm Pract Res 2021; 51: 165-83.  https://doi.org/10.1002/jppr.1718

Dispensing and Distribution

Lam P, Campbell A, Chynoweth T, Crawford A, Giles C, Kho JCL, Wood A, Bunte M, Munro C, Mellor Y.
Standard of practice in dispensing and distribution for pharmacy services.
J Pharm Pract Res 2021; 51: 511-35. https://doi.org/10.1002/jppr.1785

Electronic Medication Management (Pharmacy Informatics)

Bakker M, Dinh S, Luo D, Ooi CC, Rayson M, Singh H, Tey AXN, Tong E, Van Garderen A, Worthington R, Mellor Y.
Standard of practice in pharmacy informatics.
J Pharm Pract Res 2024. https://doi.org/10.1002/jppr.1916

Emergency Medicine

Welch S, Currey E, Doran E, Harding A, Roman C, Taylor S, Thomas A, Munro C.
Standard of practice in emergency medicine for pharmacy services.
J Pharm Pract Res 2019; 49: 570-84.  https://doi.org/10.1002/jppr.1627

General Medicine

Tong E, Collins J, Firman P, Jovanovic M, Edwards A, Olding S, Polmear J, Munro C.
Standard of practice in general medicine for pharmacy services.
J Pharm Pract Res 2020; 50: 356-65. https://doi.org/10.1002/jppr.1672

Geriatric Medicine

Elliott RA, Chan A, Godbole G, Hendrix I, Pont LG, Sfetcopoulos D, Woodward J, Munro C.
Standard of practice in geriatric medicine for pharmacy services.
J Pharm Pract Res 2020; 50: 82-97.  https://doi.org/10.1002/jppr.1636

Infectious Diseases

Cairns KA, Avent M, Buono E, Cheah R, Devchand M, Khumra S, Rawlins M, Roberts JA, Xenos K, Munro C.
Standard of practice in infectious diseases for pharmacy services.
J Pharm Pract Res 2021; 51: 247-64. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jppr.1744

Medication Safety

A new standard of practice to replace the SHPA Standards of Practice for Medication Safety [2012] is in development. The 2012 standard is available to SHPA members on request.

Medicines Information

A new standard of practice to replace the SHPA Standards of Practice for Medicines Information Services [2013] is in development. The 2013 standard is available to SHPA members on request).

Mental Health
 

Lowy H, Borja V, Bailey S, Bjorksten C, Kochman A, Longworth J, Meldrum A, Sieff A, Smith L, Wisdom A, Mellor Y.
Standard of practice in mental health for pharmacy services.
J Pharm Pract Res 2023; 53(4): 204-25.  https://doi.org/10.1002/jppr.1874

Nephrology

Scuderi C, Nalder M, Castelino R, Cervelli M, Ironside D, Jones C, Lloyd J, Mirkov S, Munro C.
Standard of practice in nephrology for pharmacy services.
J Pharm Pract Res 2020; 50: 263-75. https://doi.org/10.1002/jppr.1649

Oncology and Haematology

Coutsouvelis J, Adams J, Bortz H, Chau M, Chiang K, Foo J, Ibrahim K, Kerr K‐A, O'Connor S, Powell M, Rowan G, Siderov J, Tey A. Tran J, Vasileff H, Munro C.
Standard of practice in oncology and haematology for pharmacy services.
J Pharm Pract Res 2020; 50: 528-45. https://doi.org/10.1002/jppr.1686

Paediatrics and Neonatology
 

New Standard in development

Pain Management

Liu S, Bui T, Lee KKH, Lim WSA, Lim D, Onishko C, Penm J, Tran C, Tuffin P, Mellor Y.
Standard of practice in pain management for pharmacy services.
J Pharm Pract Res 2024. https://doi.org/10.1002/jppr.1910 

Palliative Care

 A new standard of practice to replace the SHPA Standards of Practice for the Provision of Palliative Care Services [2006] is in development, to be published in 2024.

Surgery and Perioperative Medicine:

Bui T, Fitzpatrick B, Forrester T, Gu G, Hill C, Mulqueen C, Penno J, Yu A, Munro C, Mellor Y.
Standard of practice in surgery and perioperative medicine for pharmacy services.
J Pharm Pract Res (2022); 52: 139-58 https://doi.org/10.1002/jppr.1805

Technicians

Bekema C, Bruno-Tomé A, Butnoris M, Carter J, Diprose E, Hickman L, Raleigh R, Teasdale TL.
Standard of Practice for Pharmacy Technicians to support Clinical Pharmacy Services.
The Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia; Collingwood: 2019.

Transitions of Care and Primary Care

New Standard in development

Women's and Newborn Health

New Standard in development

Guidelines

SHPA's guidelines provide practical advice for pharmacy services that may be covered by multiple specialties. Similar to the Standards of Practice series, we are undertaking a review of past Guidelines and updating them to relect current practices. A similar consultation process will apply. For more information about Guidelines, contact the Specialty Practice team via specialtypractice@shpa.org.au. See the description next to the Specialty Practice groups for an update on any respective Guidelines. 

  • Medicines Use Evaluation

Graudins LV, Fitzsimons K, Manias E, Mirkov S, Nguyen N‐A, Munro C.
Medicines Use Evaluation guideline.
J Pharm Pract Res 2020; 50: 166-79. doi:10.1002/jppr.1652: 
 

  • Safe handling and transportation of cytotoxic medicines
    A new guideline to replace the SHPA Standards of Practice for the Transportation of Cytotoxic Drugs from Pharmacy Departments [2007] and SHPA Standards of Practice for the Safe Handling of Cytotoxic Drugs in Pharmacy Departments [2005] is in development. The 2007 and 2005 Standards are available to SHPA members on request.
     
  • Geriatric Medicine: Self-Administration of Medications in Hospitals and Residential Care Facilities Guideline planned (replacing SHPA Guidelines for Self-Administration of Medication in Hospitals and Residential Care Facilities [2002]). The 2002 guideline is available to SHPA members on request).

Quick Guides

SHPA Clinical Pharmacy Quick Guide e-book including:

  • Assessment of current medication management
  • Clinical review, therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) and adverse drug reactions (ADR)
  • Documenting clinical activities
  • Facilitating the continuity of medication management on transition between care settings
  • Medication Reconciliation
  • Prioritising day-to-day workload

Non-member access

Non-members can access SHPA Standards of Practice via the Journal of Pharmacy Practice and Research.