RADIO INTERVIEW: Pharmacists role in primary health care

Dr Fei Sim, PSA National President on Radio 2SM

17 August 2022

 

PRESENTER: I welcome along today to join us from the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia National President Dr Fei Sim… Welcome Dr Fei how are you?

 

DR FEI SIM: Good afternoon, thank you so much for having me.

 

PRESENTER: You’re most welcome. I said that was my prediction , and that came from what we went through in the last couple of years with COVID-19 – how that impacted us and our health – and really the role that our chemists and pharmacies played in stepping up and helping people out. Helping them out with flu symptoms, to get a jab, and the role they played there. Do you think I’m looking toward the next five years as correct in what I say?

 

DR FEI SIM: You raise a really good point there, it’s almost like you’ve got a crystal ball in front of you . I think we can all agree that because of COVID-19, you know COVID-19 has really changed how health professionals practice, but more importantly it has how Australians like to seek health care. What we’re seeing is that the Australian health system is under enormous pressure and in your introduction you mentioned the critical issue we have at the moment which is a GP access crisis with some of the reports we’re receiving saying that wait times are up to four to five weeks. COVID-19 has seen people come through community pharmacy doors, coming to speak to community pharmacists, as their primary health care providers, so I think your prediction there is definitely right and that pharmacists are ready and are here to provide a greater primary health care role in the community.

 

PRESENTER: Dr Fei can you give me an overview of what we’re facing at the moment and what the doctors are facing with the bulk billing issue?

 

DR FEI SIM: We all agree that at the moment that there is a GP access crisis, and based on the latest national survey less than fourteen per cent of medical graduates want to go into General Practice. So, the issue is here to stay and of course adding in bulk billing issues it really is going to affect consumer’s health seeking behaviour or the affordability of seeking health care. As a health system as a whole we need to enable all healthcare professionals to practice to their top of scope, so in this case for instance there are things that a pharmacist can assist with to better serve the health system, for instance, you know, vaccinations, minor ailment management and triaging people so we can reduce unnecessary emergency department and GP presentations. Pharmacists can help with renewing prescriptions for people who are on long term medications, for instance, or even collaborative prescribing. All of this is to free up valuable time of our GPs because our GPs are one of the most highly skilled and highly trained providers, and we need them to be doing more.

 

PRESENTER: With our daily health needs, one of the biggest requirements as you go in with ongoing health concerns is getting your script filled, and to go to a doctor just to get your script filled or to go along those lines, and then to find that you’re going to a doctor who is having issues with bulk billing … Is this an area you think we’ll be leaning more toward a more support role by the chemists and pharmacists assisting where you might not have to go to a doctor in the future and have that consulting and health relationship with pharmacists?

 

DR FEI SIM: That certainly is one of the innovative ways to better serve the health system and of course there will be different patient needs so going by the example you gave there, if someone has a chronic medical condition and they’ve been stabilised on a long-term medicine… The stats are telling us that the average Australian visits a community pharmacy eighteen times a year, they’re already going to their pharmacists, so provided that their medical conditions are stabilised and they’ve been stabilised on their long term medication then yes, in those instances pharmacists can assist in renewing those prescriptions, doing monitoring, but at the same time liaising on the ground with their GP if there’s anything that requires referral. The pharmacist can then facilitate referrals to a GP, that way it frees up GP’s time to undertake more complex cases. So, all together the main message here is that we need to work together at a primary health care level to prevent emergency department and hospitalisations so our whole health system can be more sustainable.  

 

PRESENTER: Do you see more of a stronger collaborative role between the GPs and our pharmacists in the future?

 

DR FEI SIM: Well, what I can share is that on the ground pharmacists and GPs work very well together, especially during COVID-19, you know, we have so many examples of where pharmacists work so closely with their GPs. If a GP is seeing a patient through telehealth, if the patient needs any additional support, GPs actually work really well with the pharmacists. And pharmacists are well trained, you know, they know whats within their scope of practice but also knows trigger points where someone needs to be referred to their GP and the whole triaging process and prioritisation will help people who need to see their GP first get to do that. Then other people who have their condition stabilised and require monitoring if instance, the those things can be managed definitely by a pharmacist as part of routine practice.  It’s already happening at the moment, it’s about normalising and formalising that moving forward.

 

PRESENTER: Dr Fei, COVID-19 really opened our eyes to the services that our chemists and pharmacists can offer us, can you tell me what we might look at as expanded services that we may be able to utilise from our chemists and pharmacists in the future?

 

DR FEI SIM: Well, during COVID-19 pharmacists actually kept their doors open, and we’ve had that health needs where we need as many people in our public be vaccinated, even if I use vaccination as an example, but we’ve really stepped up to ensure that we can vaccinate as many people as we can in our communities to reach the vaccination target. So definitely I do see pharmacists playing an expanded role to other types of vaccines as well as other services like minor ailment management, and the example you gave in your introduction about cold and flu symptoms… you know, you should be going to your pharmacist first and allow pharmacist to triage that first. Also people on chronic medications to actually see their pharmacists for ongoing prescriptions.

 

PRESENTER: Dr Fei, our health needs are so many and varied at the moment in Australia, everything from the paediatrics and new childbirth issues in a new baby, weight issues in Australians, right through to diabetes issues and type two diabetes… all these issues I believe are things at the front of mind for chemist and pharmacists?

 

DR FEI SIM: Yes absolutely, so there is definitely already a trend now for pharmacists to be doing more and offering more professional services. So the examples that you gave there, we’re doing a lot more health screenings. For instance, screening and monitoring people for their blood glucose levels, for their cholesterol levels, and if they require weight management or even smoking cessation, or infant and child health, you know, all of these are about bridging the gap and filling in the gaps but also at the same time making sure that if the person requires additional specialist care that the pharmacist can then facilitate that referral.

 

PRESENTER: Joining us this afternoon from the PSA this afternoon, Dr Fei Sim, thank you for joining us…

 

ENDS

Big Tobacco has no place in Australian healthcare

3 August 2022

 

The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) has strongly denounced the reported introduction of a financial incentive program for dispensing nicotine vaping products.

 

Early reports claim that Philip Morris International (PMI) is looking to provide payments to pharmacists to dispense its “VEEV” vaping product.

 

PSA National President Dr Fei Sim has categorically rejected the program, urging pharmacists not to participate in the proposed scheme.

 

“No healthcare professional should accept financial incentives or support from a tobacco company. Big tobacco cannot, and should not, be trusted with the health of Australians.

 

“PMI’s offer of financial kickbacks shows clear contempt for our profession and our dedication to the health and wellbeing of our communities. It’s galling PMI are promoting these products while they remain unregulated and unregistered. No nicotine vapes are registered as medicines in Australia.

 

Nicotine vaping products have not been approved for use by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) and remain unregulated in Australia, however, patients may access unregistered liquid nicotine products with a prescription from their doctor.

 

“There are currently no nicotine vaping products registered on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods, and no company should be advertising unregulated products to Australian healthcare professionals.

 

“Do not confuse a commercially motivated decision from a large multi-national tobacco company as a decision of Australian pharmacists.

 

“TGA has provided clear advice to pharmacists and the health sector – nicotine vaping does not provide substantial benefits to patients as a smoking cessation tool, and nicotine vaping products are not a first-line option for smoking cessation.

 

“PSA provides support and professional practice guidelines for Australian pharmacists to provide smoking cessation support.  

 

“It is not the role of health professionals, including pharmacists, to recommend unregulated therapeutic goods to patients, and PSA calls on any healthcare organisations that have financial agreements with Big Tobacco to terminate these agreements immediately.

 

To access the Guidelines for Pharmacists Providing Smoking Cessation Support, please visit this link. Further information is also available on the TGA website.

 

Media contact: Georgia Clarke   M: 0410 505 315     E: georgia.clarke@psa.org.au

PSA22 comes to a close, PSA23 announced

31 July 2022

 

 

 

The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) has today closed the leading education and professional development conference for pharmacists, PSA22, in Sydney. The conference brought hundreds of Australian pharmacists together to further their professional education and discuss the major issues facing the profession.

 

PSA National President Dr Fei Sim said the conference was a great opportunity for pharmacists to come together, face to face after three years.

 

“Pharmacists played a significant role in the health and wellbeing of Australians, having been on the front lines of the COVID-19 response, and delivering more than 8 million COVID-19 vaccination doses to date,” Dr Sim said.

 

“PSA22 has been a great opportunity for pharmacists from all around Australia to reconnect and celebrate what makes our profession great.

 

“I was proud to officially launch the Medicine Safety: Disability Care report on Friday, the fifth in PSA’s Medicine Safety Series.

 

“The Medicine Safety: Disability Care report identifies the real and significant issues Australians living with disability face. It is our duty, as healthcare professionals, to keep working to make care accessible and appropriate for everyone.

 

“PSA was also proud to give members the opportunity to hear directly from the Federal Minister for Health and Aged Care, Mark Butler MP, about the incoming government’s agenda, and how we can continue to support the health and well-being of Australians.

 

“We were also able to recognise and celebrate our hardworking profession through a series of awards presented to outstanding pharmacists.”

 

The 2022 award winners are:

• Symbion Pharmacist of the Year – A/Prof Faye McMillan (NSW)
• Symbion Early Career Pharmacist of the Year – Deborah Hawthorne (VIC)
• Symbion Lifetime Achievement Award – Terence White AO and Rhonda White AO (QLD)
• MIMS Intern Pharmacist of the Year – Shaylee Mills (WA)
• Locumate Locum Pharmacist of the Year – Sean Richardson (SA)
• Viatris Pharmacy Student of the Year – Haylee Shaw (Tas.)
• APSA Most Outstanding Oral Presentation winner – Lily Pham (NSW)
• APSA Most Outstanding Poster Presentation winner – Oya Gulal (Vic.)

 

“Congratulations again to all the 2022 award winners and newly inducted Fellows of the Society and thank you to all the panellists, speakers, staff and volunteers who made PSA22 happen.”

 

Dr Sim also announced that PSA23 will be held in Sydney, NSW in July 2023.

 

“It is so valuable to come together, share our experiences as pharmacists from a range of settings, and learn from one another. We cannot wait to see you next year.”

 

Media contact: Georgia Clarke   M: 0410 505 315     E: georgia.clarke@psa.org.au

PSA22: Intern of the Year and Locum of the Year awards

30 July 2022

 

The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) is proud to announce the 2022 Intern Pharmacist of the Year and Locum Pharmacist of the Year, which were awarded at PSA22’s plenary session this morning.

 

Shaylee Mills has been awarded the 2022 PSA MIMS Intern Pharmacist of the Year.

 

Sean Richardson has been awarded the 2022 PSA Locumate Locum Pharmacist of the Year.

 

The PSA MIMS Intern Pharmacist of the Year Award recognises intern pharmacists who show outstanding performance in their development as professional pharmacists.

 

“Shaylee Mills has demonstrated her enthusiasm and innovation as an intern pharmacist, and the importance of team work when delivering health services in rural and remote parts of Western Australia,” PSA National President Dr Fei Sim said.

 

“Shaylee has made positive contribution to the health and wellbeing of her local community in the Kimberley region, especially in response to COVID-19, when she worked alongside a team of dedicated senior pharmacists and mentors.”

 

“Shaylee’s passion to improve rural healthcare is evident, as she advocates for more students and interns to consider undertaking a rural placement/internship, contributing to rural workforce capacity.”

 

MIMS CEO Robert Best also congratulated Shaylee, reaffirming MIMS commitment to supporting the next generation of pharmacists.

 

“MIMS acknowledges that pharmacists are the cornerstone of advising, educating and dispensing medicines across Australia, and view the pharmacy profession as the most important and pivotal part of our medicines ecosystem when dealing with consumers and patients,” he said.

 

“For nearly six decades, MIMS has been the most trusted provider of drug and medicines information across the Australian healthcare industry.

 

“It’s this longevity of use that compels MIMS to ensure that Interns who are driving the future of Pharmacy can trust MIMS to stand side-by-side with them as a resource partner.”

 

The PSA Locumate Locum Pharmacist of the Year Award recognises the incredible impact locum pharmacists make all over Australia.

 

“I’m proud to award Sean Richardson with PSA’s first ever Locum Pharmacist of the Year Award, acknowledging the vital work of locum pharmacists especially during the pandemic,” Dr Sim said.

 

“Sean has helped countless pharmacies across Australia and is always encouraging students and pharmacists to make the move to rural and locum pharmacy.”

 

Locumate co-founder Kavita Nadan also extended her congratulations to the winner.

 

“Locumate’s vision is to create a community for locums to feel supported and recognised for their ongoing efforts in helping our profession and being an integral part in delivering the vital healthcare services that pharmacy offers our communities.

 

“Through innovation and technology, Locumate is determined to change the experience for pharmacists and pharmacies in our industry.

 

PSA extends thanks to award sponsors, MIMS and Locumate, and looks forward to working with them again in 2023.

 

 

 

Media contact: Georgia Clarke 0487 922 176

The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia is the professional organisation of Australian pharmacists. PSA is the only government-recognised peak national body for pharmacists, representing all of the pharmacy profession in Australia.

 

 

PSA22: Viatris Pharmacy Student of the Year Announced

30 July 2022

 

 

The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) is proud to congratulate Haylee Shaw from the University of Tasmania for taking out the 2022 PSA Viatris Pharmacy Student of the Year (PSOTY) award.

 

PSOTY awards recognise and celebrate outstanding pharmacy students by showcasing their counselling skills to the pharmacy profession and is a highlight of PSA’s annual flagship conference.

 

PSA National President Dr Fei Sim congratulated the winner.

 

“Congratulations to Haylee Shaw for successfully taking out the Pharmacy Student of the Year award,” Dr Sim said.

 

“This competition provides students the opportunity to demonstrate important skills such as gaining patient insights and patient understanding, active listening and skills that support positive patient outcomes.

 

“PSA is dedicated to making pharmacy an attractive career path for young people and celebrating success regardless of where you are in your career.

 

“Each of the students who participated in the PSOTY competition has demonstrated impressive professionalism, skill, and dedication. PSA wishes them the best in what I’m sure will be successful careers as pharmacists.”

 

Haylee says she has always had an interest in pharmacy and is excited to network and learn from other pharmacists.

 

“I have always admired the accessible nature of the pharmacy profession. The ability to provide evidence-based advice and quality use of medicines to any member of the community without cost that is something that really attracted me to this career path.

 

“I entered this competition as I wanted to push myself and further my practical experience. I was also excited to be a part of the national conference and hear from likeminded peers and professional.”

 

Viatris Head of Business Development, Strategic Partnerships, Portfolio and Sourcing, Charbel Azzi, also reiterated their continued support for the next generation of Australian pharmacists.

 

“At Viatris, we see pharmacists as the custodians of medicine safety and efficacy. We’re delighted to renew our sponsorship of the Pharmacy Student of the Year Award this year to support the pharmacy professionals of the future.

 

“They play a vital role in empowering Australians to live healthier at every stage of life, a mission we share. I was heartened by the drive and dedication of all the winners. I was particularly inspired by Haylee’s exemplary patient counselling skills, and congratulate her for winning this year.”

 

The People’s Choice Award was presented to Chloe Woodward from Newcastle University. 

PSA extends thanks to the PSOTY award sponsor, Viatris, for their ongoing support of the event, and looks forward to working with them again in 2023.

PSA22: Guideline for pharmacists supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples launched

30 July 2022

 

 

The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) has today launched guidelines for pharmacists supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples with medicines management, as part of PSA22.

 

The guidelines mark PSA’s ongoing commitment to improving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health by enhancing medicines management. The principles included in the guideline are relevant to all current and future pharmacists, from those just starting their professional journey to those with years of experience working in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health sector.

 

PSA National President Dr Fei Sim said that the guidelines were a vital part of the pharmacy profession’s effort to improve the health and wellbeing of all Australians.

 

“PSA is proud to have worked with the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) to develop these guidelines, which will help pharmacists around Australia, in all practice settings, deliver the best care to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients,” she said.

 

“The guidance can be used as a tool to support balanced and professional decision making, and ensure that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients’ needs, beliefs and preferences are met in a culturally safe way.

 

“The guidance can be used as an educational resource to inform quality assurance processes, support better practice, and provide support when resolving disputes and ethical dilemmas.

 

“I thank everyone involved in developing the guidelines, in particular the writing group consisting of exceptional pharmacists A/Prof Faye McMillan, Hannah Mann, and Naomi Weier.”

 

Deputy CEO of NACCHO, Dr Dawn Casey, says that the guidelines offer practical and detailed information, as well as some challenging ideas.

 

“All pharmacists have Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander patients as well as colleagues, business partners or family who we interact with, know and work alongside,” she said.

 

“We hope you enjoy the journey as you work through the guideline and appreciate the relationships and learning that takes place along the way. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ rich and diverse cultures are part of Australia’s identity. There is so much knowledge and power in this cultural capital.”

 

A/Prof Faye McMillan launched the report this morning at PSA22.

 

“In your journey as a pharmacist, this guideline offers you an opportunity to develop professionally, expand your organisation or business’s impact, build relationships and grow professionally,” A/Prof McMillan said.

 

“This is an exciting opportunity for pharmacists around Australia to move toward a strength-based approach to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health care.

 

“The last guide to providing pharmacy services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people was released in 2014, and I’m proud to have worked with PSA to update these to reflect today’s best practice.

 

The development of the Guideline for pharmacists supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples with medicines management was supported by the Australian Government Department of Health.

 

The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia thanks all those who have contributed to the development of the guidelines.

 

The guidelines for pharmacists supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples with medicines management can be read here.

 

 

 

Media contact: Georgia Clarke   M: 0410 505 315     E: georgia.clarke@psa.org.au

 

The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia is the professional organisation of Australian pharmacists. PSA is the only government-recognised peak national body for pharmacists, representing all of the pharmacy profession in Australia.

 

PSA22: PSA President’s Opening Address

Transcript, check against delivery. 

 

 

Good Morning PSA!

 

I’d like to extend a very warm welcome to each and every one for you. It’s great to see so many of you here today, in real life! Thank you, Raymond Weatherall, for that beautiful acknowledgement of country.

 

I would like to acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land we meet on, the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation. I also acknowledge the traditional custodians of the lands on which we all live and practise.

 

As we share our knowledge and learn from each other this weekend, may we also pay respect to Elders, past, present and emerging.

 

I’d like to welcome our Federal Minister for Health and Aged Care, The Honourable Mark Butler and our Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, and Rural and Regional Health, and pharmacist, the Honourable Emma McBride. I’d also like to welcome you our PSA members, PSA Board members, sponsors, award nominees, branch committees and our valued staff.

 

I’m thrilled to be here addressing you as your new PSA National President. The last two and a half years have been an incredibly tough time for our profession, and our community. But pharmacists, as a profession, stood up when it mattered. We showed agility, tenacity and reliability. We adapted and innovated our practice to meet the challenges of the pandemic and serve our health system.

 

The pandemic has highlighted community pharmacists role as essential primary healthcare providers, and we became the first point of contact for many in our communities. No matter what the circumstance, pharmacists continued to show up, serve and make a positive impact.

 

I am so proud to call myself a pharmacist, and I thank each and every one of my pharmacist colleagues for your work.

 

The work that we do day-in-day-out does not always get recognised, so today, could I please ask that you take two seconds now: turn to the person sitting on both sides of you, and say “thank you, you are amazing.”

 

One of my mentors once said to me, “if you don’t know what to say, just say it from your heart.” So today, I am going to speak to you all, from my heart – with three stories I’d like to share – the first is about The Triple Whammy, the second is about The Sleeping Beast, and the third is about The Starfish, Little Boy and the Old man.

 

Now The “triple whammy” is not what you think – it’s not about the concurrent use of ACE or ARB, a diuretic and a NSAID.

 

The triple whammy I am referring to is the triple whammy of my life – it’s age, gender and cultural background. At 36, I am young, relatively speaking, and am often told I look younger than I am. I am a woman. And I’m from a diverse cultural background – English was my second language. These are all things, disappointingly, that I have had to “overcome” in my life – professionally and socially.

 

If you share one of more of these whammies, my message to you is to focus on the things we can control – developing our professional skills, cultivating a growth mindset, and building our resilience.

 

I feel deeply humbled and grateful that our PSA Board has a progressive and contemporary outlook, and we work as a team.

 

The triple whammy we should be known by is our capability, courage, and compassion. It is up to all of us to embody these qualities every day.  So, next time when we look at someone, put their age, gender and diversity to a side, and focus on their qualities – their capability, courage and compassion.

 

Now, onto the Sleeping Beast story. Our immediate past President A/Prof Chris Freeman once told me that PSA was like a giant “sleeping beast”, and it was his job to awaken the beast.

 

Chris has led our profession through an incredibly tumultuous time, a time in which we have seen rapid and drastic changes to our practice, and to how we connect with our colleagues and communities.

 

Despite these challenges, we have seen some huge developments for the pharmacy profession under Chris’ leadership:

 

• Medicine Safety was recognised as a National Health Priority Area by the Federal Government – bringing it to the forefront of national health policy.
• PSA launched our Medicine Safety series, with four reports published so far, and our fifth to be launched today.
• We secured the largest spend on pharmacy outside of the Community Pharmacy Agreement, with the Federal Government committing $345.7 million to fund onsite pharmacists in residential aged care facilities – thank you Minister for honouring this commitment .
• And we’ve seen governments continue to expand access to vaccinations administered by pharmacists – with over 8 million COVID-19 vaccinations and 2.5 million influenza vaccinations this year – an 88% increase on this time last year! No wonder we are all exhausted!

 

Well Chris, we all agree you have well and truly woken the beast! The last three and a half years with you at the helm of PSA have been marked with wisdom, decorum and determination. And for that, we thank you.

 

Now it is my job to feed the beast dexamphetamine, so that we may hear the beast ROAR. By focusing on our core purpose, and the needs of you, our members – and by involving you in our core advocacy – together, we can take our profession to even greater heights!

 

This brings me to my third story – The Starfish, The Little Boy and The Old Man. This is one of my favourite childhood stories, adapted from The Star Thrower by Loren Eiseley.

 

An old man was walking on the beach one morning. On this particular morning the beach was littered with starfish as far as the eye could see, as a big storm had passed through the night before.

 

Up ahead he could see someone moving, like a dancer. As he got closer, he saw that it was a young boy, picking up starfish and gently throwing them back into the ocean.

 

“Why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?” he asked as he approached.

 

“The sun is up, and the tide is going out. If I don’t throw them in they will die.” The child replied.

 

“But, do you not realise there are many miles of beach and thousands of starfish? I’m afraid you won’t really be able to make much difference.”

 

The young boy listened politely, then bent down, picked up another starfish, and threw it into the ocean.

 

He turned, smiled and said, “It made a difference for that one!”

 

I am sure you can see where I am going with this story! We are all that little boy, and our patients are the thousands of starfish. It can often feel overwhelming when we are trying to do so much, for so many.

 

Often, a key element that determines success, is the ability to see the positive in every situation and capitalise on that as your opportunity to make an impact. In the same situation, one person might see obstacles, another will see opportunity.

 

Be the one that sees the opportunity! And remember, we are making a huge difference in each and every one of our patients lives, every single day!

 

We need to come together as pharmacists, and work collaboratively with the healthcare sector more broadly, so that we, as a profession, can make an even greater impact on the health and wellbeing of Australians.

 

I look forward to working with our government and the Department so that pharmacists can play an even greater role in our health system. My immediate advocacy priorities are:

 

• Furthering our medicine safety agenda;
• Implementing the Onsite Aged Care Pharmacist Program;
• Integrating community pharmacists into primary healthcare;
• Improving pharmacist remuneration and driving workforce capability;
• And leading PSA to have a global impact and fulfil our social responsibility to our region.

 

Now, it is my great privilege to officially launch the fifth report in PSA’s Medicine Safety series, Medicine Safety: Disability Care.

 

Approximately 4.4 million Australians live with a disability, and many of these Australians require complex medical care. Our report highlights the barriers to safe medicine use, ranging from prescribing and dispensing, to administration, and medication management.

 

The result is a health system that is failing Australians with a disability.

 

We need to place a greater focus on medicine safety to help address the health and life expectancy gap in this vulnerable population – as we have been working to achieve for our aged care population.

 

This report makes a number of recommendations to improve safety across the disability sector and demonstrates the clear and pressing need for pharmacists to be engaged in medicine safety for people with a disability.

 

It is absolutely crucial that pharmacists be recognised as an essential service provider for people with special medicine needs, and that pharmacists be embedded wherever medicines are used.

 

I would like to thank everyone who has contributed to this important piece of work.

 

I look forward to working with governments, the disability sector, patients, and their families to improve the provision of care for Australians with a disability.

 

That brings me to the end of my address today. I hope that you find this weekend informative and thought-provoking, and you enjoy the opportunity to reconnect with your colleagues face to face!

 

I’d now like to introduce our new Federal Minister for Health and Aged Care, the Hon Mark Butler. Minister Butler has been a member of parliament since 2007. He served as Minister for Ageing and Minister for Mental Health in the Gillard Government.

 

He has just wrapped up the Albanese Government’s first parliamentary sitting week in Canberra this week, so we are incredibly grateful to have him join us here today.

 

Please welcome – Minister Butler.

 

PSA22: PSA Symbion Excellence Award Winners Announced

29 July 2022

 

The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) is proud to announce the winners of the 2022 PSA Excellence Awards, who were recognised today during the PSA22 conference in Sydney. This year’s Excellence Awards are proudly sponsored by Symbion.

 

The PSA Excellence Awards acknowledge the achievers of the profession: those involved in innovative practice, those who are striving to raise practice standards, and those who, through their professionalism, provide a model of practice which others strive to emulate.

 

The winners of the 2022 PSA Symbion Excellence Awards are:

     Pharmacist of the Year – Faye McMillan, Coolamon, New South Wales.
Early Career Pharmacist of the Year – Deborah Hawthorne, Wangaratta, Victoria.
     Lifetime Achievement Award – Terence White and Rhonda White, Brisbane, Queensland.

 

PSA National President Dr Fei Sim celebrated the winners and their outstanding contributions to pharmacy and their communities.

 

“I congratulate the award winners for their dedication to the pharmacist profession and their commitment to community health and wellbeing,” she said.

 

“Each of this year’s winners has a unique background, from passion for rural health, to a lifetime of service to accessible community health care.

 

“I am incredibly proud to announce Associate Professor Faye McMillan as the 2022 PSA Pharmacist of the Year for her remarkable career as a pharmacist, and in particular her work within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

 

“Faye has had a great impact on the health of Indigenous Australians, as well as the pharmacy profession more broadly. I cannot think of a pharmacist more deserving of this award.

 

“The 2022 Early Career Pharmacist of the Year Deborah Hawthorne has done fantastic work as a General Practice Pharmacist, ensuring that pharmacist expertise is available where medicines are.

 

“Deborah is demonstrating the innovation, energy, and best practice we love seeing from our early career pharmacists, and we are excited to continue to support her throughout the rest of her promising career.

 

“This year’s Lifetime Achievement Award goes to Queensland powerhouses Terry White AO and Rhonda White AO. Their contributions to pharmacy are too great to list, with thousands of Australian pharmacists knowing them as mentors, confidants, friends and advocates of our profession.

 

“We are pleased to award Terry and Rhonda a joint Lifetime Achievement Award, recognising their lifetime together as advocates for Queensland pharmacy and leaders to pharmacists around Australia.”

 

Symbion CEO Brett Barons also congratulated the award winners.

 

“In this, the eighteenth year Symbion has sponsored the PSA Excellence Awards, we remain as proud as ever with our association,” he said.

 

“The PSA Excellence Awards are the pre-eminent individual awards in our industry and this year’s winners are inspirational. Their contribution to our industry and the lives of so many has been enormous.

 

“I would like to acknowledge Deborah Hawthorne as Early Career Pharmacist, Faye MacMillan as Pharmacist of the Year and Terry and Rhonda White, the trail blazing team we have admired so closely, as worthy recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award.”

 

PSA extends thanks to award sponsor, Symbion, for their ongoing support of the event, and looks forward to working with them again in 2023.

 

For media notes on the award winners, please contact Georgia Clarke on 0410 505 315 or email georgia.clarke@psa.org.au