Article
The Viability of Full Scope Practice: A Data-Driven Transformation September 2025
Why Full Scope Matters
Clearly, consult rooms pull their weight deliver results to patients and pharmacy owners.
In a fast-paced world, patients are looking for quicker, more accessible care. Importantly, full scope practice pushes pharmacy out front in the health eco-system in terms of speed and access given its ability to provide clinical consultations, manage chronic conditions, and catch serious health issues earlier than might otherwise be possible. Fully leveraging specialist skills is turning pharmacies into true health hubs.
In Queensland, the fee for a long consultation is $70.50, with pharmacies also generating additional sales ranging from $70 to $200 per patient.
Let’s look at some of the immediate outcomes we are seeing in client pharmacies.
As a result, pharmacies implementing full scope services outperform traditional retail benchmarks:
The Tangible Impact: Clinical, Operational, and Financial Wins
That’s not just service income—it’s providing the patient with the right health solution driven by meaningful conversations. Service Income per Square Metre:
Services
Retail
Clinical Impact
Pharmacy A
$14,250
$8,465
Pharmacist-led consultations have led to:
Pharmacy B
$18,624
$4,600
• Improved chronic disease management (e.g., asthma, diabetes, hypertension).
Pharmacy C
$21,093
$7,636
• Reduced emergency department visits.
Average Income/m²
$15,800+
$6,500+
• Enhanced vaccination rates. In a recent example Jess Burrey described a quit smoking consult where a patient mentioned dizziness. The pharmacist undertook a quick check assessing erratic heart rate and abnormal blood pressure with irregular heart sounds. The patient was referred immediately and subsequently diagnosed with arrhythmia. That’s life-changing care, delivered right in the pharmacy.
Financial outcomes per consultation based on
Pharmacy A $36.60
$145.88
$182.58
Financial Performance: Real-World Data
Pharmacy B $36.60
$159.25
$195.95
The numbers are impressive. Pharmacies implementing full scope services are reporting gross service income per square metre between $14,250 and $21,093., far surpassing industry average retail sales per sqm which is below $8,000 per sqm.
Pharmacy C $36.60
$82.97
$119.67
Pharmacy D $36.60
$69.93
$106.63
Pharmacy E $36.60
$199.96
$236.66
the patient’s health outcome being the focus: Consult Additional Fee Sale
Total Sale