Woolworths has said it has not hired pharmacy students or graduates to offer health checks in its stores.
The retail giant confirmed to the ABC yesterday that it was responsible for job ads seeking pharmacy graduates, students and nurses for an in-store health check program.
However the supermarket issued a statement late this afternoon saying the jobs ads, which were published through a marketing company, were not for its program.
A Woolworths spokesman said only qualified nurses were conducting its supermarket-aisle health checks.
“Woolworths Supermarkets have been offering customers cholesterol and blood pressure tests as a trial in nine stores starting in October 2013,” he said.
“There are clear rules for these services, which we respect.
“The trial will be extensively reviewed before a decision is taken to roll it out to more stores.”
The job advertisements on employment website Seek.com, posted by a company called XPO Brands, said the company is looking for “final year pharmacy students, graduate pharmacists and entry level nurses” to conduct checks such as blood pressure and cholesterol, and “engage in general health discussions”.
It says it wants someone who is “a real people person and happy to talk to shoppers passing by”.
Australia’s Pharmacy Board investigating safety of in-store check ups
Earlier, the Pharmacy Board of Australia said it would investigate reports pharmacy students and graduates were being recruited to work in the Woolworths trial.
The Pharmacy Board, which sets standards for pharmacists, said students and graduates could be putting their registration at risk by working for Woolworths.
In a statement issued late today, a board spokeswoman said pharmacy graduates who have provisional registration for their one-year internship after university can only practise under supervision in approved locations with an approved supervisor.
“Any other sort of practise as a pharmacist would be in breach of their registration requirements,” she said.
Pharmacy graduates and students are not allowed to “hold themselves out” as a registered pharmacist or indicate they are qualified if they are not.
They can only gain registration after they have completed a one-year internship following study.
“The pharmacy board will look into this issue as a priority to see if there is any action it needs to take to protect public safety,” the spokeswoman said.
A spokesman for Woolworths said six stores in New South Wales and Queensland have been trialling the basic health checks.
Woolworths says the scheme will be expanded to other sites across Australia.
The spokesman said if any customers have readings outside a normal range, they will be directed to a doctor or pharmacist for medical advice.
Pharmacy guild says Woolworths plans to ‘hoodwink’ customers
The Pharmacy Guild of Australia has said it is concerned about the move, saying it is an attempt by the supermarket to “hoodwink consumers into believing they can get professional pharmacist advice and products from a supermarket”.
Pharmacy businesses are protected by rules that allow them to have a monopoly on dispensing prescription drugs.
The industry has thwarted attempts by the major supermarkets to increase competition and enter the pharmacy market.
The Federal Government recently reconfirmed its commitment that retail giants would not be allowed into pharmacy.
A spokesman for Woolworths says the staff providing health checks do not offer medical or product advice and are “just another thing we can do for our customers”.
Do you know more about this story? Email investigations@abc.net.au