New on-site pharmacist program delivering safer, more person-centred care for residential aged care

May 22, 2026

The Aged Care On-Site Pharmacist (ACOP) Program supports safer and more person-centred medication use in residential aged care homes.

The program works by placing a credentialled pharmacist within a residential aged care home (RACH) to work on-site as part of the regular care team. This gives residents, families, nurses, GPs and aged care staff more timely access to pharmacist advice, helping identify and respond to medication related issues earlier.

For RACHs, an on-site pharmacist can support day-to-day medication advice, medication reconciliation, safer transition of care, high-risk medicine monitoring, staff education, Quality Use of Medicines activities and medication safety improvement.

Unlike the Residential Medication Management Review (RMMR) Program, which provides important periodic reviews for individual residents, the ACOP Program provides a regular on-site pharmacist. This supports ongoing collaboration, staff capability and facility-wide improvement.

A participating aged care facility shared:

“Having a regular, accessible pharmacist for staff, residents and families has been one of the best improvements we have seen since implementing the ACOP Program.”

Destiny NG, Clinical Care Manager, Belvedere Aged Care

How SEMPHN can help

Funding through the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing is available for eligible residential aged care homes and community pharmacies to engage on-site pharmacists.

SEMPHN can help connect residential aged care homes with eligible pharmacists and community pharmacies interested in participating in the program. 

Meet our Aged Care On-Site Pharmacist Program Consultant, Monica Su

Monica Su, Aged Care On-Site Pharmacist Program Consultant

Monica is a registered pharmacist with over 15 years of experience working in the aged care space. She has experience in both the RMMR and ACOP space and understands the needs of both residents, facilities and pharmacists. 


Monica’s role at SEMPHN is to help connect ACOP pharmacists with RACHs, and support both with the implementation of the program. 


She believes the unique on-site feature of the ACOP program puts a face to the medication management within facilities, helping to translate consistent compliance improvements, collaboration, and residential benefits that the other off-site models do not offer. 


“I’ve supported and seen first-hand how facilities that have converted to the ACOP model are now benefiting from the program. “Having a regular pharmacist available, who is familiar with your facility, residents and staff members, makes a big difference when managing multiple and sometimes complex medications.” 

Interested or would like to learn more?

If you are a RACH interested in having an on-site pharmacist, or a pharmacist or community pharmacy interested in participating in the ACOP Program, contact Monica by emailing agedcare@semphn.org.au. 

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