Pharmacy Facts
Australia’s system of community pharmacy and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme are recognised as world leading.
Community pharmacies are the most frequently accessed and most accessible health destination, with over 459.9 million individual patients visits annually and 2,127 pharmacies open after-hours, including weekends.
There are over 5,900 community pharmacies in Australia with the average person visiting a community pharmacy 18 times a year, in metropolitan, rural and remote locations.
In capital cities, 97 per cent of people have access to at least one pharmacy within 2.5 km radius, while in the rest of Australia 66 per cent of people are within 2.5 km of a pharmacy.
Pharmacists are one of the most trusted professions along with nurses and doctors. Public opinion surveys have shown 84 per cent of adults trust the advice they receive from pharmacists.
As of 31 March 2023, there were 36,107 registered pharmacists in Australia. 64 per cent of pharmacists are women; and about 59 per cent are under 40 years of age.
