What is the ACOP Measure?
ACOP Measure places a credentialled pharmacist within a residential aged care home (RACH) to work on-site as part of the care team, providing expert medication management, safety oversight, and clinical support for residents and staff.
It is an Australian Government initiative developed by the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing (DHDA) as part of the government’s multi-billion-dollar aged care reform agenda.
These reforms respond directly to the findings of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, which identified medication management at RACHs as a major area of concern and called for greater access to on-site pharmacy expertise to improve medication safety and quality use of medicines.
In response, the DHDA established the ACOP Measure to fully fund and embed credentialled pharmacists within aged care facilities.
What are benefits of an ACOP at RACHs?
Clinical governance and safety
- Strengthens medication safety and clinical governance.
- Provides continuous, on-site oversight on prescribing and administration of medication.
- Aims to reduce adverse drug events and medication-related hospitalisations.
- Improves safety and monitoring of high-risk and complex medicines.
- Enables real-time pharmacist input for clinical decisions.
- Supports medication reconciliation and safer transitions of care.
- Delivers evidence-based optimisation of polypharmacy and deprescribing.
Quality improvement and governance integration
- Leads facility-wide Quality Use of Medicines (QUM) and audit activities.
- Enhanced contribution to Medicines Advisory Committee (MAC) and governance processes.
- Strengthen medication governance and compliance with national standards.
- Enables data-driven monitoring of medication safety indicators.
Collaboration and workforce development
- Strengthen collaboration between pharmacists, GPs, and nursing teams.
- Build workforce capability through education and mentoring.
- Educate and support care staff to improve medication practice.
Resident-centred care and outcomes
- Promote person-centred, goal-aligned medication management.
- Support shared and informed decision-making for residents and families.
- Improve responsiveness to residents’ changing clinical needs.
- Build resident and family confidence in medication safety.
- Align with Strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards for safe, high-quality care.
ACOP Measure vs RMMR/QUM
While the Residential Medication Management Review (RMMR) has been the long-standing approach to medication management in aged care, it offers only periodic reviews and limited integration with care teams.
In contrast, the Aged Care On-site Pharmacist (ACOP) model delivers continuous, embedded clinical pharmacy support within the facility — offering greater safety, oversight, and collaboration.
| Feature | ACOP (Aged Care On-site Pharmacist) | RMMR/QUM (visiting pharmacist services) |
|---|---|---|
| Pharmacist presence | ✅ Embedded on-site as part of the care team, working regularly within the facility. | ❌ External pharmacist visits intermittently for scheduled reviews only. |
| Continuity of care | ✅ Provides ongoing, medication oversight and follow-up. | ❌ Episodic reviews with limited follow-up or ongoing involvement. |
| Access to pharmacist advice | ✅ On-site access for residents and staff when medication issues arise. | ❌ Advice limited to review times or external communication. |
| Transitions of care | ✅ Actively supports medication reconciliation during hospital discharge and resident transfers. | ❌ Minimal involvement in transitions; focus limited to review reports. |
| Governance involvement | ✅ Participates in Medicines Advisory Committees (MAC) and strengthens clinical governance. | ❌ May provide feedback but not formally involved in governance. |
| Facility-wide QUM activities | ✅ Leads audits, education and continuous quality improvement activities. | ❌ Limited QUM sessions |
| Integration with primary care | ✅ Works collaboratively with GPs, nurses and community pharmacies as part of the care team. | ❌ Operates separately from RACH staff and visiting clinicians. |
| Funding and schedule | ✅ Funded for a structured, regular on-site schedule (1 FTE per 250 beds; scaled by 50-bed increments). | ❌ Funded per RMMR claim; no guaranteed on-site presence. |
| Workforce and culture | ✅ Builds staff capability, resident trust, and a proactive culture of medication safety. | ❌ Limited workforce impact due to periodic engagement. |
How is the government funding structured?
DoDHA funding is based on one full-time equivalent (FTE) pharmacist per 250 residents, with proportional coverage provided in 50-bed increments — approximately one on-site day per week for every 50 residents.
| RACH bed numbers | Full-time equivalent (FTE) rate per eligible RACH | Maximum on-site days per week (1 day = 7.6hrs) |
|---|---|---|
| 1-50 | 0.2 | 1 |
| 51-100 | 0.4 | 2 |
| 101-150 | 0.6 | 3 |
| 151-200 | 0.8 | 4 |
| 201-250 | 1.0 | 5 |
For more information:
If you would like further information or have any questions regarding ACOP implementation in RACHs, please contact bobby.kumar@swsphn.com.au or our RACH Engagement Officers on agedcare@swsphn.com.au
Resources
ACOP Indicative Role Description
This Australian Pharmacy Council publication outlines the key responsibilities of a credentialed pharmacist who works within a residential aged care facility.
ACOP RACH flyer
This flyer from DoDHA introduces the Aged Care On-site Pharmacist Measure - why it's important, how it works and what to expect.
ACOP guide
This DoDHA document is designed to assist pharmacist and residential aged care home participation in the Aged Care On-site Pharmacist Measure. It includes information about the Measure, useful resources and links.
ACOP Tier 1 Rules
Community pharmacy claims and receives payments. A Pharmacy Programs Administrator publication.
ACOP Tier 2 Rules
Residential Aged Care Home claims and receives payments. A Pharmacy Programs Administrator publication.
