Act promises to let pharmacists treat more conditions

Author: Thomas Coughlan,
Publish Date: Thu, 6 Aug 2026, 1:18pm

Act leader David Seymour says pharmacists should be able to treat more conditions. Photo / Sylvie Whinray

The Act Party is promising to let pharmacists treat more conditions, widening access to care if it wins the election.

Act leader David Seymour announced policy today that would widen the number of conditions pharmacists could treat, increase the number of pharmacies, and introduce 24-hour prescription collection through secure electronic lockers.

“In many cases, your pharmacist is the healthcare professional closest to you,” Seymour said.

“They’re trained, they’re trusted, they’re often available the same day.

“The rules confine pharmacists to a small number of permitted services. Meanwhile, time that pharmacists used to spend ‘counting and pouring’ is being freed up by automation, at the same time that community pharmacies are under serious revenue pressure.

“Pharmacists have the capacity, the need, and the proximity. All that’s missing is permission,” he said.

The move would expand the Minor Ailments Scheme, which governs the conditions pharmacists can be trained to assess and treat, to include:

Throat and ENT: acute sore throat
Skin and eyes: school sores (impetigo), stye
Ear, nose and throat: tonsillitis and acute sore throat;
Musculoskeletal and pain: gout, osteoarthritis;
Sexual and reproductive health: vaginal thrush; chlamydia and gonorrhoea testing (self-swab kits), period pain;
Blood tests: pharmacists would be able to order appropriate blood tests directly, at a patient’s request or where they identify a clinical need.

“Every condition will include a clear protocol for when patients need to be referred to a GP or specialist,” Seymour said.

“Doctors still have an important role here, but Act will make sure that for cases a pharmacist can handle, you don’t have to wait two weeks to get help.

“Consultation fees will stay capped at $20 for most patients and $5 for Community Services Card holders. The Government funds the balance,” he said.

Act said it would allow accredited pharmacists to provide funded annual medication reviews for stable patients, order the standard blood tests needed to monitor treatment, and adjust doses within clear, GP-set clinical limits for patients with stable hypertension, type 2 diabetes, or high cholesterol.

The party would also introduce a pharmacy-based skin-concern service for diagnosing skin cancer.

Trained pharmacists would record relevant risk factors and take high-quality dermatoscope images, using technology to help identify concerning changes over time. Patients who meet clear risk thresholds would be referred to a GP or specialist.

“This is not a full diagnosis service, but it would give people – especially in rural communities – a place to have a concern taken seriously and acted on quickly,” Seymour said.

The policy would also change rules to allow more pharmacies to open.

“The five-pharmacy ownership cap – a restriction the Government’s own October 2025 Regulatory Impact Statement admits is ‘not being meaningfully followed’ – will be explicitly removed.

“Proximity requirements that block new pharmacies from opening near existing ones will also go. Any pharmacy that meets safety and quality standards should be able to open,” Seymour said.

“Pharmacy licence renewals will move from annual to five-yearly after the first year, saving pharmacists $1000 in compliance costs each year and freeing them to focus on patients, not paperwork.

“Pharmacy accuracy checking technicians will be allowed to transfer between pharmacies without having to sit a new course, making it easier for pharmacies, especially in smaller communities, to attract and retain staff.”