Standards and Guidelines

Advanced Pharmacy Australia's series of Standards and Guidelines is widely utilised and well-referenced by pharmacists and health professionals seeking guidance on the delivery of clinical, operational and specialty pharmacy services. The series draws on the collective expertise of AdPha members across all areas of practice, and is written by a dedicated Working Group sourced from the respective Specialty Practice Group. 

Free access to AdPha Standards and Guidelines in the Journal of Pharmacy Practice and Research (JPPR) is an AdPha member and JPPR subscriber benefit. Two years after publication, current AdPha Standards and Guidelines will be FREE TO ACCESS for all. 

AdPha regularly and comprehensively reviews and updates Standards and Guidelines to ensure alignment with current practice. Members will have the opportunity to provide feedback on draft Standards and Guidelines during advertised consultation periods. For more information about Standards and Guidelines contact the Lead Pharmacist – Standards and Guidelines.

AdPha Nephrology Standards -- First and final member consultation open now

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is a silent killer: 90% of kidney function can be lost with no symptoms. Medicines can significantly slow the progression of CKD. Pharmacists, as medicines experts, have a huge role.

This consultation closes at 11.45pm AEST on Sunday, 24 August 2025

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Standards and Guidelines Library (JPPR)

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Standards of Practice

Clinical Pharmacy

All Standards reference and rely upon the Advanced Pharmacy Australia Clinical Pharmacy Standards as the foremost Standard. Planned and published operational and specialty specific standards are shown below.

Dooley M, Bennett G, Clayson-Fisher T, Hill C, Lam N, Marotti S, O'Hara K, Potts C, Shum B, Tong E, Trevillian S, Sharp-Paul N, Newman S, Mellor Y.
Advanced Pharmacy Australia Clinical Pharmacy Standards.
J Pharm Pract Res 2024; 54: 446-511. https://doi.org/10.1002/jppr.1959

Cardiology

NOW FREE TO ACCESS
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

NOW FREE TO ACCESS
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

The Standard of practice for pharmacy production services is in development, to replace the SHPA Guidelines for Medicines Prepared in Australian Hospital Pharmacy Departments [2010]. The existing 2010 standard is available to AdPha members on request.

Critical Care

NOW FREE TO ACCESS
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

NOW FREE TO ACCESS
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

Emergency Medicine

Work on a revised Standard of Practice in Emergency Medicine for Pharmacy Services has commenced. The current Standard, published in 2019, is NOW FREE TO ACCESS via the link below:-  

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

NEW!
Firman P, Jovanovic M, McPhee S, Pinto A, Tong EY, Mellor Y.
Advanced Pharmacy Australia general medicine standards.
J Pharm Pract Res 2025; 55: 254-67. https://doi.org/10.1002/jppr.70024

EDITORIAL from the Internal Medicine Society of Australia and New Zealand (ISMANZ):  Aung AK, Downie M, Shannon L, Johnson DF. Advanced Pharmacy Australia general medicine standards: paving the way for multidisciplinary care and collaboration. J Pharm Pract Res 2025; 55: 167-9. https://doi.org/10.1002/jppr.70032

Geriatric Medicine

Work on a revised Standard of Practice in Geriatric Medicine for Pharmacy Services has commenced. The current Standard, published in 2020, is NOW FREE TO ACCESS via the link below:-  

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

NOW FREE TO ACCESS
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 AdPha 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 AdPha 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

Work on a revised Standard of Practice in Nephrology for Pharmacy Services has commenced. The current Standard, published in 2020, is NOW FREE TO ACCESS via the link below:-  

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

Work on a revised Standard of Practice in Oncology and Haematology for Pharmacy Services has commenced. The current Standard, published in 2020, is NOW FREE TO ACCESS via the link below:-

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; 54: 74-93. https://doi.org/10.1002/jppr.1910 

Palliative Care

To J, Dettwiller P, Hall T, Lewis J, Poulier MV, Tuffin P, Wojnar R, Mellor Y.
Standard of practice in palliative care for pharmacy services.
J Pharm Pract Res 2024; 54: 252-70.  https://doi.org/10.1002/jppr.1917 

Pharmacy Informatics and Technology (formerly Electronic Medication Management)

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; 54: 179-197. https://doi.org/10.1002/jppr.1916

Surgery and Perioperative Medicine:

NOW FREE TO ACCESS
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

Transitions of Care and Primary Care

Phillips K, Criddle D, Jordan M, Manias, E, McInerney B, Thiele H, Zeidan A, Mellor Y.
Standard of practice for pharmacy services specialising in transitions of care.
J Pharm Pract Res 2024; 54: 417-35. https://doi.org/10.1002/jppr.1957

Women's and Newborn Health

Dwyer J, Clark M, Grzeskowiak L, Lau C, Lebedevs T, Luttrell K, McGuire T, O'Hara K, Soo JY, Mellor Y.
Standard of practice in women's and newborn health for pharmacy services.
J Pharm Pract Res 2024 54: 333-351. https://doi.org/10.1002/jppr.1941

Guidelines

AdPha'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 Lead Pharmacist – Standards and Guidelines. 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
    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] are available to AdPha members on request.

Non-member access

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