Pharmacy Board of Victoria (I)

Full description

Establishment

The Pharmacy Board of Victoria was established on 1 January 1877 with the proclamation of the Pharmacy Act 1876 (40 Victoria No. 558). The Act established a Pharmaceutical Register of Victoria for the purposes of regulating pharmacists.

In 1890 provision for the registration of pharmacists was made under the Medical Act 1890 (No. 1118) and the Pharmacy Act 1885 was repealed.

The Pharmacy Board of Victoria operated under the Medical Act (as amended) until the passing of the Pharmacy Act 1974 (8593)

Under the 1974 Act, the Pharmaceutical Register of Victoria was renamed the Pharmacists Register of Victoria. The 1974 Act also established the Record of Temporary Pharmacists Registrations. This allowed for the temporary registration of those who held a qualification in pharmacy outside of Victoria and who were in or proposed to come to Victoria for the purpose of teaching, research or post-graduate study. Upon successful application a certificate would be issued.

The Board operated under the Pharmacy Act 1974 until the commencement of the Pharmacy Practice Act 2004 on 1 July 2005. A new Board was established from this time (see VA 4877 Pharmacy Board of Victoria II).

Formation and Membership of the Board

The original Board consisted of a president and six other members, all appointed by the Governor in Council. All members needed to be eligible for registration as a pharmaceutical chemist.

Functions

The functions of the Board were to appoint and remove at any time a registrar and other officers as required, make, alter or rescind regulations for the purpose of carrying out the act, question any person before the Board, register with residences and qualifications all persons certified by the Board as qualified pharmaceutical chemists, determine and collect fees, alter the register and erase names as required, strike names off the register as required, and to control and direct all examinations in practical pharmacy.

Abolition

A review of the Pharmacists Act 1974 was completed in 2004. The resulting Pharmacy Practice Act 2004 came into operation on 1 July 2005, introducing key reforms in respect of the ownership and operation of pharmacy businesses. The Pharmacy Board was abolished and a new board formed (see VA 4877 Pharmacy Board of Victoria II).