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PPSAC Sub-Committees

Sub-Committees of the Professional Programs and Services Advisory Committee (PPSAC)

There are five (5) sub-committees of PPSAC.

Research and Development Steering Committee

Rural and Indigenous Steering Committee

Evaluation Steering Committee

Hepatitis C Steering Committee

Diabetes Pilot Program Steering Committee

Research and Development Steering Committee

The PPSAC Research and Development Steering Committee provides advice and recommendations to PPSAC on the development, implementation and ongoing management of the Fourth Community Pharmacy Agreement Research and Development Program ($19.1 million).

The Research and Development Steering Committee consists of thirteen (13) members made up of representatives from the following organisations and areas of expertise:

• PPSAC representative (Chair)
• Pharmacy Guild of Australia
• Pharmacy Guild of Australia (Program Manager)
• Pharmaceutical Society of Australia
• Department of Health and Ageing (Community Pharmacy Branch)
• Consumers’ Health Forum of Australia
• Society of Hospital Pharmacists Australia
• Australian Association of Consultant Pharmacists
• Committee of Heads of Pharmacy Schools in Australia and New Zealand
• Australian General Practice Network
• Pharmacy Academics at University Departments of Rural Health
• Independent expert (Health Economist/Research) – two (2) positions

Research and Development Program

The objective of the Research and Development Program is to:

• identify priority research areas in community pharmacy service provision; and
• fund projects with the greatest potential to deliver services with positive health outcomes for consumers, and economic impacts for the health system in general and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) in particular.

In 2006, PPSAC conducted a stakeholder consultation process to inform the directions and research priority areas to be addressed in the Fourth Community Pharmacy Agreement Research and Development Program. A series of facilitated public consultation forums were held throughout Australia and stakeholders were also invited to provide written submissions throughout the consultation process.

The key priorities and directions for research to be funded under the program were identified during the stakeholder consultations. These are summarised in the following document:

PDF Printable version Research and Development Program Themes and Categories (PDF 286 KB)

The Fourth Community Pharmacy Agreement Research and Development Program is being administered by the Pharmacy Guild of Australia. Further information on the program can be found at: http://www.guild.org.au/

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Rural and Indigenous Steering Committee

The PPSAC Rural and Indigenous Steering Committee provides advice to PPSAC on the development, implementation and ongoing management of the Fourth Community Pharmacy Agreement Rural and Indigenous Programs ($137.7 million):

• Rural Workforce Program;
• Rural Pharmacy Maintenance Allowance;
• Rural Pharmacy Start-Up and Succession Allowances;
• Rural Pre-Registration Allowance;
• Section 100 Support Allowance;
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Undergraduate Pharmacy Scholarship Scheme;
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Pharmacy Assistant Traineeship Scheme; and
• Improve the quality use of PBS medicines for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

The Rural and Indigenous Steering Committee consists of sixteen (16) members made up of representatives from the following organisations and areas of expertise:

• PPSAC representative (Chair)
• Pharmacy Guild of Australia
• Pharmacy Guild of Australia (program manager)
• Pharmaceutical Society of Australia
• Department of Health and Ageing (Rural Workforce)
• Department of Health and Ageing (OATSIH)
• Department of Health and Ageing (Community Pharmacy Branch)
• Society of Hospital Pharmacists Australia
• Committee of Heads of Pharmacy Schools in Australia and New Zealand
• Rural Pharmacists Australia - two (2) positions;
• National Australia Pharmacy Students Association
• National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) – two (2) positions; and
• Consumer representatives – two (2) positions.

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Evaluation Steering Committee

The PPSAC Evaluation Steering Committee provides advice to PPSAC on the evaluation of Fourth Community Pharmacy Agreement Professional Programs and Services.

The Evaluation Steering Committee consists of nine (9) members made up of representatives from the following organisations and areas of expertise:

• PPSAC representative (Chair);
• Pharmacy Guild of Australia;
• Pharmacy Guild of Australia (Research and Development program manager);
• Pharmaceutical Society of Australia;
• Department of Health and Ageing (Community Pharmacy Branch); and
• Independent experts – four (4) positions.

Hepatitis C Steering Committee

In September 2006, PPSAC established a PPSAC Hepatitis C Working Group to assist PPSAC to formulate recommendations to the Minister for Health and Ageing on appropriate activity to be undertaken for the prevention of hepatitis C.

To ensure a collaborative approach was adopted in developing this important initiative, the PPSAC Hepatitis C Working Group included both key pharmacy and hepatitis C stakeholder groups. The Hepatitis C Working Group presented a proposal for a Hepatitis C Public Health Promotion Program to PPSAC in March 2007.

In March 2007, PPSAC agreed to establish a PPSAC Hepatitis C Steering Committeee. The Hepatitis C Steering Committee will:

• provide advice and recommendations to PPSAC on the implementation and ongoing management of the Hepatitis C Public Health Promotion Program; and
• develop phases two, three and four of the Hepatitis C Public Health Promotion Program, based on the outcomes of phase one (the scoping study) for PPSAC’s consideration.

The Hepatitis C Steering Committee consists of eleven (11) members made up of representatives from the following organisations and areas of expertise:

• PPSAC Representative (Chair);
• Chair of the Hepatitis C Subcommittee, The Ministerial Advisory Committee on AIDS, Sexual Health and Hepatitis (MACASHH);
• Australian Society for HIV Medicine Inc.;
• Australian Injecting and Illicit Drug Users League;
• Australian Hepatitis Council;
• Australian Liver Association;
• The Pharmacy Guild of Australia – two (2) positions;
• Pharmaceutical Society of Australia ;
• Department of Health and Ageing (Community Pharmacy Branch); and
• Department of Health and Ageing (Population Health Division).

Hepatitis C Public Health Promotion Program

The prevention of communicable disease is a recognised priority under the Better Community Health Initiative of the Fourth Community Pharmacy Agreement.

The Hepatitis C Public Health Promotion Program involves exploring the feasibility of the development of a public health promotion model for hepatitis C to be implemented through community pharmacies.
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Diabetes Pilot Program Steering Committee

In 2006, PPSAC established a Diabetes Working Group to provide advice on the development of the Diabetes Pilot Program. The Diabetes Working Group met in September and October 2006.

PPSAC has established an ongoing Diabetes Pilot Program Steering Committee to oversee the management of the Diabetes Pilot Program.

The committee consists of twelve (12) members made up of representatives from the following organisations and areas of expertise:

• Independent Expert (Chair);
• Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia;
• Department of Health and Ageing – Community Pharmacy Branch;
• Australian Diabetes Educators Association;
• Diabetes Australia;
• Department of Health and Ageing - Chronic Disease Programs and Palliative Care Branch / National Integrated Diabetes Program;
• Professional Programs and Services Advisory Committee;
• Pharmaceutical Society of Australia;
• Pharmacy Guild of Australia;
• Australian General Practice Network; and
• Two consumer representatives.