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Advancing future pharmacy practices through regulation
A Pharmacy Council Discussion Document

Kia ora and welcome!

Thank you for taking the time to give us your feedback on the discussion document. You can find a copy of the discussion document on our website.

It’s important to note that this is not a formal consultation – at this stage we are still exploring possible options and are not tied to a particular approach. Any initiatives identified through this work will need further engagement or consultation.

You can complete some or all of the questions or just add your comments in the final section. We are keen to hear your feedback on how, and in what sequence, we might adapt the regulatory levers to stay responsive to the profession while still upholding our statutory mandate to protect public safety.

The survey is anonymous, and we will be collecting responses until 5pm on Friday 27 February 2026.  

If you have any questions or comments about the survey, or if you'd like to submit your feedback via email, you can contact us on: submissions@pharmacycouncil.org.nz

Ngā mihi
The Pharmacy Council Team
To start, we'd like to know what role you play in the pharmacy sector.
1.Are you:
Statement on innovative practice
2.Do you think the statement fits the intended purpose?
3.Would it be more effective if it was modified in some way? If so, how?
4.What information would be useful to include in the practice guidelines?
5.Should the statement be used more extensively to support other aspects of your work? If so, what aspects could we consider?
Registrations pathways
6.Do you agree with the short-term changes aimed to increase the flow of REQR pharmacists through broadening eligibility and removing the CAOP requirement?
7.Do you think that changing the non-REQR pathway in New Zealand would assist with the current workforce shortage?
8.What issues or considerations should we be aware of when looking at reducing requirements for registration from overseas applicants?
9.Do you agree with the positive and negative considerations? Are there other considerations that are not included in the list?
10.What else could be done to attract more pharmacists to work in New Zealand?
11.Are there other actions to address workforce shortages that the Pharmacy Council should be looking at?
Expanded roles via scope endorsements
12.Would introducing a framework for endorsements be beneficial?
13.What things should the Council consider if progressing this work further?
14.Do you agree with the positive and negative considerations? Are there other considerations that are not included in the list?
15.What roles or specialisations (either currently or in the future) would benefit from being endorsed?
16.What type of qualifications or training would people need to undertake to achieve a named endorsement?
17.Would it be more effective or fitting to increase the number of scopes of practice instead?
Prescribing
18.Do you agree with Pharmacy Council’s approach for enabling future prescribing?
19.Alongside the sector work, what else about prescribing should the Pharmacy Council be considering?
20.Do you agree with the positive and negative considerations? Are there other considerations that are not included in the list?
21.What changes to prescribing would make the greatest impact on patients?
22.What supports and guidance would pharmacists need to be able to prescribe safely and accurately?
Regulating technicians and PACTs
23.What would be gained by regulating technicians and PACTs?
24.How could it work in a New Zealand context?
25.Are there any risks to regulating technicians and PACTs?
26.Do you agree with the positive and negative considerations? Are there other considerations that are not included in the list?
27.Is this work critical, or should the Pharmacy Council focus on other areas right now?
28.What support might regulated technicians and PACTs need from employers, professional associations, education providers, and the Pharmacy Council?
Any other comments?
29.Let us know any other thoughts or comments you have about the Pharmacy Council's work.