Putting a Face to the Crisis
Imagine a small-town community pharmacy where one pharmacist is behind the counter. They’re working double shifts, hoping prescriptions don’t pile up while trying to serve their community safely. This isn’t a rare scenario—it’s everyday reality. Workforce shortages don’t just show up in statistics; they impact lives, patient care, job satisfaction, and ultimately, your wellbeing. So, how can pharmacies stay staffed when the demand for qualified pharmacists so starkly outweighs supply?
1. The Numbers Tell the Story
By 2025, the gap between available and needed community pharmacists is alarming: approximately 1,657 FTE positions short, meaning a significant strain on those filling the roles. Expand the view, and the overall pharmacist workforce is expected to fall short by around 2,725 FTE.
2. Where the Gaps Hurt Most
The discrepancy isn’t evenly spread. Remote areas—like the Northern Territory—are bearing the brunt. With vacancy rates at 30% in major hospital pharmacies, burnout is reaching boiling point and walkouts are becoming a real risk. Add to that the community strain: shortages here mean less counselling time, more dispensing pressure, and a shift away from patient care to medicine supply management.
3. Why Isn’t Shortage Fixed Already?
Uneven geographic distribution: Pharmacists tend to cluster in metro and larger regional areas, leaving rural pharmacies chronically understaffed.
Career dissatisfaction: A striking 10% plan to leave the profession soon, and nearly half don’t intend to stay longer than ten years.
Role expansion stress: As expectations grow—to deliver more clinical services, vaccinations, MedsChecks—the pressure mounts, often without commensurate support.
4. Recruiters as the Solution Architects
Effective recruitment goes beyond matching CVs to job ads. Here’s how firms like Raven’s Recruitment are making a difference:
Deep talent pools: We maintain active networks of pharmacists open to flexible, metropolitan, regional, and even remote roles—even when they’re not actively job hunting.
Strategic matching: We understand lifestyle preferences, community needs, and what makes a role attractive beyond pay—so relocations feel like opportunities, not sacrifices.
Supporting retention: From negotiating fair packages and relocation packages to facilitating tailored onboarding, we help root pharmacists in places they’re likely to stay.
Speed and precision: When a critical gap opens, we can fill it fast—minimising service disruption and easing pressure on remaining staff.
5. Innovation that Works
Rural-focused immigration and training: We align pharmacist sourcing with plans like CDU’s “train where you live” model, which is proving effective for retention in remote communities.
Locum-backed flexibility: Tapping into locum networks helps fill short-notice or seasonal gaps—allowing some flexibility in permanent role placements.
Tech-led efficiency: Platforms like Colleago are transforming locum staffing—and recruiters are integrating these tools for even faster coverage.
6. What This Means for You
For Pharmacists: You don’t have to compromise on lifestyle or professional fulfilment. Recruiters can help align opportunities with your career goals—whether that’s remote community work, flexible hours, or clinical growth.
For Employers: A recruiter isn’t just filling a vacancy—they’re building your team’s longevity and resilience.
For Communities: When pharmacies are properly staffed, people get safer, more attentive care.
7. How Raven’s Recruitment Helps
At Raven’s Recruitment, we specialise in pharmacy—matching expertise with real needs. We’ve built long-standing relationships across the industry and pride ourselves on helping pharmacists find roles they don’t just fill—but love. Our lived experience, deep sector understanding, and compassionate approach mean we don’t just fill vacancies—we build pharmacy futures.
The Human Cost Demands Human Solutions
Workforce shortages are more than numbers—they’re families strained, communities underserved, and careers derailed. Recruiters offer more than placements—they’re partners in creating a sustainable, future-ready pharmacy workforce. If the future of community pharmacy depends on a stronger workforce, how can we work together now to make that future possible?
References/Citations
Pharmacy Guild Workforce Capability Report 2023 (2025 forecasts) - guild.org.au
Study on pharmacist satisfaction and attrition (2023–2025 data) - RACGP
Regional/remote workforce challenges, CDU insight - News Hub - Medianet News Hub archive
NT vacancy rates and industrial action risk - Courier Mail
Real time staff scheduling and workforce engagement system - Colleago
