Recruitment and retention of pharmacists in rural and remote areas of Australia: a scoping review

Introduction. Despite reports suggesting a possible oversupply of pharmacists, there is currently an inadequate supply in rural and remote Australia. This can lead to a reduction in pharmacy services for an already vulnerable population.

Aims. To identify the strategies and factors associated with the recruitment and retention of pharmacists in rural and remote Australia.

Methods. Database searches of PubMed, CINAHL, ProQuest and Scopus were conducted. Full-text of relevant studies conducted in Australia, reported in English and published between the year 2000 and 2018 were retrieved. The record titles were independently screened by two investigators, after which, abstracts of disputed articles were collected for further evaluation. Where agreement could not be reached, a third independent investigator screened the residual articles for inclusion or exclusion.

Results. A total of nine articles which focused on the pharmacy profession were identified. Strategies that have been employed include the employment of sessional pharmacists in rural hospitals, development of an undergraduate pharmacy curriculum, enrolment of students from a rural background, establishment of rural pharmacy schools and extended rural placement. Factors associated with recruitment and retention were either personal, workplace or community factors.

Discussion. There is limited research focusing on the recruitment and retention of pharmacists. Given that pharmacies in rural areas are very accessible and often function as a one-stop health hub, additional personal, workplace and community support are required for rural pharmacists and pharmacy students undergoing placements in rural communities.