Healthcare systems worldwide are under increasing pressure from rising chronic disease, antimicrobial resistance, workforce shortages and escalating healthcare costs. Community pharmacists are uniquely positioned to address these challenges through early intervention, medicines optimisation, disease prevention and collaborative patient-centred care.

This session explores how expanding the clinical role of community pharmacists can improve antimicrobial stewardship, optimise medicines use in patients with multimorbidity, and increase access to timely healthcare services. Through practical case studies and evidence-based interventions, delegates will consider how pharmacists in a collaborative practice setting can improve health outcomes, reduce unnecessary healthcare utilisation and strengthen multidisciplinary care within South Africa.

Learning objectives
Participants will be empowered to:

• Describe the evolving role of community pharmacists in improving health outcomes beyond traditional dispensing.
• Identify evidence-based pharmacy interventions that improve antimicrobial stewardship and support the rational use of medicines.
• Apply principles of medicines optimisation to improve therapeutic outcomes in patients with multimorbidity and polypharmacy.
• Explain how pharmacist-delivered clinical services improve access to care, reduce pressure on the healthcare system and contribute to Universal Health Coverage.
• Recognise opportunities for greater interprofessional collaboration to improve patient-centred healthcare.
• Consider the need for policy and regulatory frameworks that support interprofessional collaboration.

Take Home Messages
The increasing burden of multimorbidity requires healthcare professionals to move beyond traditional professional boundaries and work together as integrated teams. Achieving better health outcomes requires every member of the healthcare team to contribute their unique expertise in a coordinated, patient-centred manner. Community pharmacists have an essential role to play as medicines experts, ensuring the safe, effective and appropriate use of medicines, improving therapeutic outcomes, and supporting continuity of care. By placing the needs of patients and the public at the centre of care, interprofessional collaboration becomes not only best practice, but an essential component of sustainable healthcare. The future of healthcare is not about expanding the role of one profession—it is about integrating the strengths of all professions to deliver the best possible care for every patient.