Understanding the Factors Influencing the Rural Pharmacy Workforce: Enablers and Barriers for Employers and Employees – A Critical Literature Review (2002–2022)

The unequal distribution of pharmacists across regional and rural areas in Australia mirrors trends seen in other health professions. This narrative review sought to explore the factors that facilitate or hinder recruitment and retention of pharmacy staff, with a particular focus on the perspectives of potential employers. A systematic search was conducted for peer-reviewed, English-language studies published between 2002 and 2022. Search terms included ‘rural’, ‘remote’, ‘pharmacy’, ‘pharmacist