Aged Care On-Site Pharmacists: Funding Models and Practical Insights

This session aims to build understanding of the Australian Government’s aged care on-site pharmacist (ACOP) measure, including program requirements and funding models, while showcasing real-world experiences from pharmacists working in residential aged care. It will highlight practical strategies to improve medication safety and strengthen multidisciplinary care through integrated pharmacist roles.

The introduction of the Australian Government’s aged care on-site pharmacist (ACOP) measure represents a significant shift in how medication management is delivered in residential aged care. This webinar will provide an overview of the program, including eligibility requirements and funding models (Tier 1 and Tier 2), to support providers, pharmacists and stakeholders to better understand how to implement this funded initiative.

This training will assist Residential Aged Care Home Managers, Clinical Care Managers/Coordinator and Residential Aged Care Nurses to get a better understanding of ACOP.

Participants will hear directly from two experienced ACOP pharmacists who will share their journeys into the role and reflections from practice. 

Through presentations titled From RMMR to ACOP: Opportunities for Integrated Care and Small Facility, Big Opportunities: A Rural ACOP Experience, speakers will explore how the role has evolved from traditional medication review services into an embedded, proactive model of care.

The session will highlight the realities of working in residential aged care, including day-to-day responsibilities, key focus areas such as deprescribing, polypharmacy and medication safety, and the importance of building strong relationships with GPs, nurses and care staff. 

Attendees will gain practical insights into how small changes can lead to meaningful improvements in quality of care and how pharmacists can contribute to system-wide coordination and safer medication practices.

Speaker details:

Dr Amanda Cross - Senior, Research Fellow at the Centre for Medicine Use and Safety, Monash University

Dr Amanda Cross is a dual clinician researcher with a passion for medicine safety and emerging roles of pharmacists. 

She is a National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Emerging Leader Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for Medicine Use and Safety, Monash University. She is a recognised leader in medication safety research for older populations, particularly those at risk of or living with dementia. 

Dr Cross has authored over 50 peer-reviewed publications, including 20 as first author, and her work is regularly profiled in professional and public media for its impact on improving aged care practices.

She is also a credentialled home medicine review pharmacist and aged care onsite pharmacist. She has worked as an aged care onsite pharmacist in a small residential care home in Bacchus Marsh since October 2025. 

Lara Freeman - Community and ACOP pharmacist, Trentham Pharmacy

Lara Freeman registered as a pharmacist in 2020, completing her internship at Ballarat Base Hospital before returning to community pharmacy. She now co-manages a small rural pharmacy in Trentham alongside her husband and colleague, supporting the health needs of the local community.

Through this role, Lara works closely with a nearby rural residential aged care home. When the facility expressed interest in participating in the aged care on-site pharmacist (ACOP) program, she was approached to take on the role. She subsequently completed the combined PSA MMR/ACOP training and has since played a key role in establishing the service within the facility.

Prior to commencing as an ACOP, Lara conducted home medicines reviews in the community, strengthening her clinical assessment and report-writing skills and providing a strong foundation for residential medication management.

Lara values the opportunity to work in a small rural facility, where she can build close relationships with the ANUM, GPs and nursing staff to identify and implement meaningful changes. Many residents are people she has known through the community pharmacy, making it particularly rewarding to continue supporting them as they transition into residential aged care. She has a strong interest in deprescribing and in finding practical ways to optimise medicines while maintaining residents’ quality of life.

Dhwani Patel - Pharmacist, Program Officer, Aged Care Capability Building, North Western Melbourne Primary Health Network (NWMPHN)

Dhwani Patel is a pharmacist and program officer at NWMPHN, specialising in aged care capability building and health system improvement. With over seven years’ experience across aged care, pharmacy and digital health, she leads key initiatives to strengthen clinical outcomes and workforce capability in residential aged care services. 

Dhwani currently leads the organisation’s aged care onsite pharmacist (ACOP) program and has supported residential aged care homes in the digital health space, including software workflows, system optimisation and process improvements. 

She works closely with providers, general practice and system partners to enhance care coordination and service delivery. In this webinar, Dhwani will present on ACOP program requirements, funding models and available NWMPHN supports to assist implementation.

Learning outcomes:

• Understand the key components of the ACOP program, funding models and the role of primary health networks in supporting implementation within residential aged care settings.
• Identify strategies to strengthen multidisciplinary collaboration and system-wide care coordination under the ACOP model.
• Explain how small, practical changes can improve medication safety and quality of care in residential aged care settings.