Pharmacists' Support Service

Name

Pharmacists' Support Service

Legal name

Pharmacists' Support Service Inc.

Website

https://supportforpharmacists.org.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Melbourne

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Organizational Funding: PSS receives funding from national pharmacy organizations including PSA, PDL, SHPA, PPA, AFSPA, PGA, PSV Ltd, and APC. NAPSA is also represented as an observer.
2. Donations: PSS accepts tax-deductible donations from the pharmacy profession through GiveNow platform. Major donors include Australian Pharmaceutical Industries, Chemist Warehouse, Sanofi (unrestricted grant), Guild Insurance, National Pharmacies, and individual pharmacists.
3. Deductible Gift Recipient Status: PSS is a registered charity with Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) status and taxation concessions from the ATO, enabling tax-deductible donations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Pharmacists' Support Service (PSS) provides free, confidential telephone peer support to Australian pharmacists, pharmacy interns, and students. The service is staffed entirely by volunteer pharmacists trained in crisis-model telephone counselling by psychologists, and operates 365 days a year from 8am to 11pm AEDT. Callers can remain anonymous, and PSS also maintains an online Resource Hub covering stress, trauma, bullying, employment, and natural disaster support topics.

Product overview

Pharmacists' Support Service (PSS) operates as a single unified offering—a free telephone-based peer support helpline staffed entirely by volunteer pharmacists trained in crisis telephone counselling. The service is complemented by an online Resource Hub providing wellbeing information, COVID-19 specific resources, and natural disaster support materials. PSS also administers the annual John Coppock Pharmacist Wellbeing Award to recognise outstanding contributions to pharmacist wellbeing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Telephone Peer Support Service Free, confidential telephone peer support helpline staffed by volunteer pharmacists trained in peer support and crisis telephone counselling. Available 365 days per year from 8am to 11pm AEDT to Australian pharmacists, pharmacy interns, students, and concerned family/friends/colleagues. Reachable on 1300 244 910.
• Resource Hub Online collection of wellbeing resources for pharmacy professionals covering topics including stress management, trauma, bullying, healthy living, employment matters, and links to pharmacy organisations.
• John Coppock Pharmacist Wellbeing Award Annual award recognising pharmacists, interns, students, pharmacy staff or teams who contribute significantly to the wellbeing of members of the pharmacy profession. Sponsored by PDL; recipients receive a framed certificate and $2,500.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 500 calls annually from pharmacists seeking help
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Pharmaceutical Defence Limited (PDL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPDL is a major funding organization and founding member of PSS. John Coppock was PDL Chair for 40 years. PDL provides generous sponsorship for the John Coppock Pharmacist Wellbeing Award and contributes representatives to the PSS Management Committee.
• Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPSA is a founding member organization and major funder of PSS. PSA provides representatives on the PSS Management Committee. PSA established PSS in 1995 through its Victorian Branch.
• National Australian Pharmacy Students' Association (NAPSA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNAPSA is represented by an observer on the PSS Management Committee. NAPSA students have created promotional videos for PSS and collaborate on outreach to pharmacy students.
• Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia (SHPA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSHPA is a member organization providing funding and representatives on the PSS Management Committee. SHPA representative Kylee Hayward serves on the board.
• Professional Pharmacists Australia (PPA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPPA is a member organization providing funding and representatives on the PSS Management Committee.
• Pharmacy Guild of Australia (PGA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPGA is a member organization providing funding and representatives on the PSS Management Committee.
• Australian Friendly Societies Pharmacies Association (AFSPA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAFSPA is a member organization providing funding and representatives on the PSS Management Committee.
• Pharmaceutical Society of Victoria Ltd (PSV Ltd)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPSV Ltd is a member organization providing funding and representatives on the PSS Management Committee.
• Australian Pharmacy Council (APC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAPC is a member organization providing funding and representatives on the PSS Management Committee. APC representative Amanda Galbraith serves on the board.
• ViatrisminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with Viatris allows PSS to extend its reach and impact. Viatris sales representatives help ensure pharmacists are aware of PSS as a resource.
• Meridian LawyersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPaul Baker from Meridian Lawyers serves as Honorary Solicitor for PSS, providing legal guidance.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Beyond Blue: Major Australian mental-health support organization providing phone, online and peer-support services. Provides the broader mental-health ecosystem within which PSS's profession-specific service sits.
• Lifeline Australia: Australia's largest crisis-support telephone service. PSS explicitly refers after-hours callers to Lifeline (13 11 14). Larger and broader in scope but a relevant comparator in the crisis-call category.
• Pharmacists Mutual: US-based member organization offering professional liability insurance alongside advocacy and wellbeing resources for pharmacists. Comparable professional-support mission but with a broader insurance-led portfolio.

Direct peers

• Medical Benevolent Association of NSW: Australian charity providing confidential financial assistance and welfare support to doctors and their families. Comparable profession-specific social-assistance mission targeting Australian healthcare professionals.
• Drs4Drs (Australian Doctors' Health Network): Australia-wide network of doctors' health services providing confidential support to medical practitioners and students. Operates an analogous peer/professional support model for a different health profession in the same geography.
• Pharmacist Support (UK): UK charity providing wellbeing, financial and peer-support services to pharmacists, pharmacy students and trainees. Closest international analogue to PSS — same profession-specific, free, peer-led support model.
• Nurse & Midwife Support (Australia): National 24/7 support service for Australian nurses, midwives and students. Closest Australia-based peer operating a comparable telephone peer-support model for a different health-professional cohort.

Regional players

• Canadian Pharmacists Association: National professional body offering member-wellbeing resources and supports for Canadian pharmacists. Comparable profession-based support function but regional to Canada.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/auspharmsupport
• Facebookfacebook.com/supportforpharmacists
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pharmacists-support-service
• Instagraminstagram.com/pharmacistssupportservice

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Pharmacists' Support Service