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NEWS
Zeneca Innovative Pharmacists of the Year award for her work on Health Destination Pharmacy.
I would encourage pharmacy owners to sign up to this world-class program. Visit www.healthdestinationpharmacy.com.au to find out more.
This year PSA has led the way and continued to strongly advocate for the GP pharmacist model, which is of immense value for patients.
The integrated, collaborative GP pharmacist model – which has strong support from many leading health organisations – is a great opportunity for pharmacists to demonstrate their value.
It is one of many innovative strategies PSA is pursuing to ensure pharmacists’ skills can be optimised in consumer-focused, cost- effective, integrated models of care.
All the evidence points to the GP pharmacist model being good for patients, general practices and community pharmacies. The latest University of Technology Sydney
(UTS) Pharmacy Barometer showed the concept of pharmacists working in a medical practice was supported by 49% of pharmacy owners/owner managers, 63% of pharmacy managers/pharmacists-in-charge and 80% of employed pharmacists.
Yes, the profession achieved a real milestone in May when Victoria became
the final state to approve pharmacist- delivered vaccinations.
The take-up of pharmacist vaccination
has been outstanding and it’s largely thanks to the pioneering work of
Professor Lisa Nissen, a previous PSA President in Queensland and former PSA Board member. She was instrumental in demonstrating the benefits and value of immunisation by pharmacists as part of the Queensland Pharmacy Immunisation Pilot (QPIP) research program.
Of course, this is likely to be just the tip of the iceberg for pharmacist vaccination in Australia. In other countries, pharmacists’ roles are progressing beyond flu vaccinations, and we will no doubt see that evolve in Australia.
Absolutely. Inspiring pharmacist Taren
Gill was appointed as ECP National Board Director, in an historic move for PSA. While the Board has had ECPs serving as directors before, this was the first time a director was recruited specifically in such a role – a mark of how important ECPs are to PSA and our profession’s future.
Taren works as the Deputy Director of Pharmacy at Orange Hospital, a community pharmacist at Blooms the Chemist Orange and a pharmacy lecturer at Charles Sturt University.
She is a highly respected leader among early career pharmacists with valuable experience in working with students and other ECPs.
We welcomed this appointment as revolutionary, and encourage other young pharmacists to engage more with PSA
to help us shape the future for the next generation of pharmacists.
Most importantly, Taren’s appointment will help to ensure that PSA’s member services address the needs of ECPs, supporting them to thrive in their careers.
PSA16 was a runaway success and we received excellent feedback from the 900 delegates and partners involved.
The new format of the annual conference – which also included an expo area for PSA partners – provided an opportunity to further our members’ education around innovation, CPD and standards and guidelines.
Delegates said it was the ‘most relevant and useful event’ they had attended and helped create a positive future for the profession.
We were delighted to have Federal Health Minister Sussan Ley open the conference and publicly applaud PSA’s advocacy and innovation.
Following the positive feedback from PSA16, we are delighted to be partnering with the Commonwealth Pharmacists Association (CPA) for PSA17. A key topic at the conference will be strengthening the role of women in pharmacy. So stay tuned for more steps PSA is taking in that area over the next year.
PSA has also been strongly advocating for innovative new practice models for pharmacists. Can you share more about these models?
PSA also hosted some major events, including PSA16 in Sydney. What were some of the highlights of this leading conference?
The PSA Board took the significant step
of appointing an Early Career Pharmacist (ECP) director. That must have been a proud moment for the organisation?
It’s great to see a milestone was reached for pharmacist-delivered vaccinations in Australia
Australian Pharmacist January 2017 I ©Pharmaceutical Society of Australia Ltd. 9