PSA launches Reconciliation Action Plan

The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) is delighted to announce the launch of its Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) framework.

 

Last Friday, 28 May, PSA’s RAP received formal endorsement from Reconciliation Australia. The RAP framework will provide the PSA with a structured approach to advancing reconciliation throughout the organisation.

 

The first stage in this plan, Reflect, will help PSA gauge where it stands in relation to reconciliation action. By the conclusion of Reflect, the organisation will have influenced positive cultural change across the organisation.

 

PSA National President, A/Prof Chris Freeman, stressed the importance of this strategy.

 

“PSA is delighted to launch our RAP, as it signifies an important milestone for the organisation. PSA’s RAP will build on current reconciliation initiatives within the organisation, driving reconciliation through awareness and action.”

 

“Our RAP provides a strategic framework that will ensure PSA is a culturally safe workplace and welcoming for everyone, irrespective of their cultural heritage.”

 

“As the peak body representing pharmacists, Australia’s most accessible workforce, PSA is ideally placed to improve medicine safety for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, particularly in rural and remote communities.”

 

PSA NT/SA State Manager, Helen Stone, was a key driver of the project.

 

“Providing culturally safe health care comes with understanding and acceptance of the impact that generational disadvantage has had and continues to have on the mental and physical health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.”

 

“The development of this RAP is a commitment to ensure the cultural literacy of PSA staff towards being a culturally safe workplace which is then reflected in our member education and practice support services.”

 

“I look forward to supporting and working with PSA staff, Branch Committees and the Board to progress the actions within our Reflect RAP, and collaborating with colleagues and members as we continue our reconciliation journey towards the next stage Innovate”, said Ms Stone.

 

PSA is committed to creating a culturally safe and inclusive environment for our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff, members, stakeholders and patients.

 

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Media contact: PSA media 0424 777 463

National Reconciliation Week – a time to reflect

The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) recognises Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the First People of this nation, acknowledging Elders past, present and emerging.

 

PSA takes pride in, and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s history and cultures and recognises the importance of National Reconciliation Week.

 

From Wednesday 27 May to Thursday 3 June, PSA encourages all members and the wider public to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements through active engagement with Nation Reconciliation Week initiatives.

 

Less than 1 percent of Australian pharmacists identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, a statistic that is of great concern to the PSA. In Australia, there are existing programs that support the development of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander pharmacists, such as the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Pharmacy Scholarship Scheme (ATSIPSS). Under the Seventh Community Pharmacy Agreement (7CPA), this scheme encourages students to undertake undergraduate or graduate entry studies in pharmacy at an Australian university.

 

PSA demonstrates our commitment to achieving reconciliation through internal initiatives such as the Culturally Safe Health Care Webinar held on 26 May and through the custodianship of the Practice Guidelines for providing pharmacy services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. These initiatives are designed to help pharmacists create an environment that is culturally safe for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

 

Next week, PSA will be launching the first stage of our Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), Reflect. By reflecting on our practice, PSA wants to support and enhance the understanding of our people to build relationships and engage with communities to support culturally safe care.

 

PSA supports further measures to enhance the representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people within the profession.

 

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Media contact: PSA media 0424 777 463

A landmark day in Australia’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout: PSA welcomes announcement that community pharmacists will commence vaccinating within weeks in rural and remote Queensland

The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) welcomes this morning’s announcement that up to 56 rural and remote community pharmacies in Queensland will shortly join the COVID-19 vaccine roll and start administering the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine to eligible Australians.

 

In a joint announcement this morning, the Minister for Health the Hon. Greg Hunt and Queensland Minister for Health and Ambulance Services the Hon. Yvette D’Ath revealed community pharmacies in rural and remote Queensland who were successful in the recent EOI process would be activated to administer AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine within weeks.

 

PSA’s National President, A/Prof Chris Freeman said the announcement will be a turning point in Australia’s COVID-19 vaccine roll-out.

 

“Today is a landmark day in Australia’s COVID-19 vaccine strategy. Community pharmacists have been waiting to join the vaccine campaign, and it is great to see Queensland pharmacists in these 56 regional pharmacies be the first to answer the call to protect their community.”

 

“This adds to the pharmacists in hospitals, general practice, and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs) who have already been involved in the COVID19 vaccine rollout.”

 

In welcoming the announcement, PSA called on governments around Australia to fast-track bringing community pharmacies on board to improve accessibility to the COVID-19 vaccine.

 

“Given their accessibility and convenience, community pharmacies are ideal vaccination sites. Sixty five percent of Australians in rural Australia live within two kilometres of a community pharmacy, so geographically, it is easier for Australians to find their local pharmacy.”

 

With a greater supply of COVID-19 vaccines now available, A/Prof Freeman said now is the time to ramp up the rollout through community pharmacies.

 

“We have two excellent vaccines available which are safe and highly effective at preventing severe diseases, including hospitalisation and death. Now is the time for all eligible Australians to seek vaccination. Pharmacists around the country are vaccine champions and we are ready to play our part by joining the primary care rollout, ultimately protecting Australians against this terrible disease.”

 

The Federal Health Minister signalled more community pharmacies would join the campaign as greater supply becomes available in the coming months.

 

“Now is the time for other jurisdictions to sign up to community pharmacist administered COVID19 vaccinations. PSA is dedicated to supporting pharmacists in delivering the COVID-19 vaccine both safely and effectively to the public, and pharmacists around the country remain ready and on standby to support the strategy”, A/Prof Freeman said.

 

“With overseas regulatory agencies now confident the Pfizer vaccine is stable at normal refrigerated cold chain temperatures for up to 30 days, subject to local regulatory approval, it may be feasible for community pharmacists to also administer the Pfizer vaccine later this year in Phase 2b and beyond.”

 

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Media contact: PSA media 0424 777 463

PSA welcomes new State and Territory Branch Committees

The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) congratulates and warmly welcomes the newly elected State and Territory Branch Committees.

 

These newly elected leaders bring further passion and diversity to the PSA, as they seek to represent their profession.

 

PSA extends thanks to Australia’s leading voting & election service provider, CorpVote, for their management of the election process. For the second time, PSA used an online voting platform for the Branch Committee elections, and it was encouraging to see that the majority of members used this technology to have their say.

 

These Branch Committee members are now eligible to become National Board Directors, drawing on their skills and experience to advocate for the profession, promote membership and represent their State or Territory.

 

PSA’s Chief Executive Officer, Mark Kinsela, welcomed the new Branch Committees and thanked all members for their contribution to the election process.

 

“The PSA is thrilled to announce the newly elected members of the Branch Committees and we believe that these appointees will drive the organisation and profession forward.”

 

“We would like to thank the record number of nominees who put their hands up to lead the profession, and the members who took the time to cast their vote.”

 

“The enthusiasm, passion, and talent of all nominees signifies a very promising future for the pharmacy profession.”

 

The following Branch Committee members will commence their term on July 1 and will hold office for two years.

 

In accordance with the Rules of the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia Limited, PSA declares the following results for the 2021 PSA Branch Committee election:

 

Branch	Committee Members
ACT Branch – 9 positions	BEARDMORE, Renae COLLENETTE, Olivia HIDAYAT, Christopher KELLY, Andrew KELLY, William MARTIN, Alicia NAUNTON, Mark SELLWOOD, Kara TODD, Lyn
NSW Branch – 12 positions	BELL, John BENSON, Helen BRONGER, John CARROLL, Peter CARTER, Stephen DIAMANTIS, Caroline DINEEN-GRIFFIN, Sarah FELKAI, Chelsea MOLES, Rebekah PHAM, Lily PLUNKETT, Warwick ROSE, Lachlan
QLD Branch – 10 positions	BERRILL, Carli BUCKLEY, James CARSON, Susan FREEMAN, Christopher KNOWLES, Hannah LAU, Esther MACDONALD, Shane ROBERTS, Tim TOTTERMAN, Bridget WRIGHT, Karla
SA/NT Branch – 10 positions	ANGLEY, Manya JOHNS, Robyn KARDACHI, Grant KEITAANPAA, Sam MILL, Deanna Nicole NILAND, Colleen SEDA, Veronika SLUGGETT, Andrew SOULSBY, Natalie SPEARE, Tobias
TAS Branch – 9 positions	BREEN, Juanita CRAWN, Jackson JACKSON, Shane MAGILL, Ian MCLENNAN, Dana PEACHEY, David TODD, Anne VAN TIENEN, Ella WILLIAMS, Mackenzie
VIC Branch – 10 positions	APOSTOLOPOULOS, Maria CHEN, Esa DEMARTE, Joe GILL, Taren GOWAN, Jenny JACKSON, John LYNCH, Michelle MARCHANT, Benjamin PAGE, Amy SAUNDERS, Kellie
WA Branch – 9 positions	BAILEY, Travis BURTON, Lauren GELAVIS, Anna OGUNDIPE, Ayomide PISANO, Alyssa PRATICO, Jana SHENTON, Christopher SIM, Fei WONG, Keegan

 

 

Media contact: PSA media 0424 777 463

Pharmacists more prepared for COVID-19 vaccine rollout thanks to the Australian Digital Health Agency’s support

The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) extends thanks to the Australian Digital Health Agency for their support of the recent COVID-19 Roadshow Series.

 

In recent weeks, the PSA has conducted workshops across Australia’s capital cities to provide pharmacists with the latest information on pharmacist-delivered COVID-19 vaccines and supporting patients with questions and addressing vaccine hesitancy.

 

Digital tools enabling better and safer care was a key feature of the conversation, including uploading to the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR), efficient ways for viewing vaccine histories, including through the Clinical Vaccine Integrated Platform (CVIP).

 

Positive feedback was also received regarding improvements to My Health Record (MHR), whilst many showed a keen interest in the best ways to access safe and appropriate care.

 

“The information was so useful, I used it the very next day, as I was immunising patients for flu and encouraging them to book in for a COVID-19 vaccine!”, noted one participant.

 

Mark Kinsela, PSA CEO, reflected on his experience at the roadshow and thanked the Agency for their support.

 

“It was pleasing to see such passion amongst PSA members. The willingness to get involved and desire to get the details right and focus on patient safety was evidenced across all states.”

 

“This roadshow reiterated to us that pharmacists go above and beyond for their patients and appreciate the importance of providing expert advice.”

 

“We were also pleased to see that our members are looking for ideas to improve their processes and workflow with systems like CVIP.”

 

“From our observations, pharmacists are becoming increasingly concerned by the discrepancies in state legislation with regards to vaccination – particularly the artificial barriers preventing pharmacists in hospitals, general practice and aged care from administering COVID-19 vaccine.”

 

“The PSA’s ability to quickly customise our teachings in accordance with the regulation in each jurisdiction, demonstrates our versatility as a training provider and the evolution of Australia’s COVID-19 vaccine strategy.”

 

“We extend thanks to the Agency for supporting this workshop series and look forward to working with them on similar projects in the future.”

 

For further information on PSA-led events, please visit our website.

 

 

Media contact: PSA media 0424 777 463

PSA welcomes the Government’s commitment to aged care, but more must be done

PSA welcomes the Morrison Government’s announcement on women’s health, mental health and aged care sector following tonight’s Federal Budget.

 

The Government has announced it will commit $17.7bn on aged care along with $1.9bn in additional funding for the COVID-19 vaccine program. A commitment has also been made to extend funding to the take-home naloxone pilot.

 

Pharmaceutical Society of Australia National President, A/Prof Chris Freeman, commended the Federal Government for their decision, but says more must be done to safeguard residents from the harms medicine mismanagement is causing.

 

“The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to fix our neglected aged care system. Tonight the Morrison Government has laid the foundation for rebuilding our aged care system from the ground up. Person-focussed care and collaborative care teams need to be at the centre of this reconstruction.”

 

“More must be done to reduce avoidable hospital admissions and deaths caused by medicines and help to restore faith and trust in the aged care sector.”

 

“Residents in aged care facilities deserve to have timely and regular access to the expertise of a pharmacist if they require advice and support with their medicines and medicine management.”

 

“Having pharmacists on-the-ground within aged care facilities must happen if we are serious about improving medicine management and resident safety in our aged care facilities.”

 

“Pharmacists, as the custodians of medicine safety, must play a key role in bridging the divide between health care and aged care, to reduce harmful medicine use and improve quality of life for older Australians.”

 

PSA is committed to working with the government to tackle the challenges of reducing medicine-related harm in aged care and the wider Australian community.

 

Background

PSA’s reports, Medicine Safety: Take Care and Medicine Safety: Aged Care, found that:

• 98% of residents in a residential aged care facility have at least one medicine-related problem;
• Over half are exposed to at least one potentially inappropriate medicine;

• 6% were administered at least one potentially hazardous medicine combination;
• 50% of people with dementia are given medicines with anticholinergic properties, worsening confusion and other dementia symptoms;

• 20% of unplanned hospital admissions for aged care residents are due to inappropriate medicine use;
• Many of our aged care residents have faced dangerous and life-threatening drug interactions;
• Half of residents are taking medicines that cause sedation or confusion, with 20% taking antipsychotics and more than half are taking medicines for far too long;
• Between July 2000 and July 2013 there were 30 coronial investigations into medicine-related deaths in aged care facilities;
  • In nine cases, deaths occurred due to administration errors – in four cases medication was given to the wrong person; and in four other cases, monitoring errors resulted in a failure to recognise the signs of toxicity.

 

Media contact: PSA media 0424 777 463

WA PSA recognises outstanding pharmacists

The high quality health care provided by Western Australia’s pharmacists has been recognised at the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia’s (PSA) WA Annual Therapeutic Update (ATU) conference.

 

WA PSA President, Dr Fei Sim, presented awards for WA Intern of the Year, WA Early Career Pharmacist of the Year, WA Pharmacist of the Year and WA Lifetime Achievement Award at the award ceremony held at the WA ATU in Perth on Saturday 8 May to:

 

• Ashtyn Pitts MPS, WA Intern of the Year
• Kate Fulford MPS, WA Early Career Pharmacist of the Year
• Richard Smirk MPS, WA Pharmacist of the Year
• Rhonda Clifford FPS, WA Lifetime Achievement Award

 

Dr Sim noted the awardees had gone above-and-beyond for their patients and colleagues at a time of uncertainty and change in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

“As pharmacists and frontline health professionals, our routines have been altered and many changes have been made in the last year. Our profession has shone during these difficult times and we can add the words ‘resilient’, ‘excellence’ and ‘collaborative’ to our expertise”, said Dr Sim.

 

“For example, Ashtyn volunteered to compound hand sanitiser in the pharmacy after-hours to help protect the community at a time of extreme shortages, while Kate has produced resources for doctors and pharmacists to help reduce the unnecessary and often dangerous use of sedating antipsychotics in people living with dementia.”

 

Dr Sim said the awardees were an inspiration to other pharmacists and to their community.

“The winners of this year’s Western Australia PSA awards have all demonstrated PSA’s vision and excellence. Whether it was empowering pharmacists to be more responsible for medicine safety, demonstrating working collaboratively within a healthcare team, or providing support and education to the next generation of pharmacists.”

 

Awardee Profiles

Ashtyn Pitts, Intern of the Year

Stay Home and Stay Safe

Ashtyn is a versatile and resourceful professional who embraced her local community during the COVID-19 pandemic period.

 

Undertaking her intern year in Dalyellup, just south of Bunbury, she organised and advertised a Stay Home and Stay Safe health promotion for the local community during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. During this period, there were also significant shortage of alcohol-based hand sanitisers and Ashtyn organised the sterile manufacture and supply of sanitisers to nearby schools and the community. Ashtyn also conducts presentations and checks the blood pressure and blood glucose levels monthly at the nearby retirement village.

 

Quotes attributable to Dr Fei Sim:

“Ms Pitts is well liked in the community and extremely approachable. Her work after-hours to produce hand sanitisers for her community during extreme shortages, as well as collaborative approach to patient care shows initiative, drive and a focus on patient needs.”

 

“Ashtyn embodies the PSA’s values and has a bright future ahead of her.”

 

Kate Fulford, Early Career Pharmacist of the Year

Expanding the scope of pharmacy practice

 

The Early Career Pharmacist Award has gone to Kate Fulford, for her innovative ideas and challenging the scope of pharmacy practice.

 

Kate is a practicing GP pharmacist in Perth’s CBD whose interests lie in in improving medicine use in elderly and vulnerable populations by increasing education and support during transitions of care. Her special interest in chronic disease has seen her take on further qualifications as a diabetes educator, to further the work of GP Pharmacist’s and improve quality use of medicines.

 

Additionally, she is a senior research assistant in an NHMRC funded research project aiming to improve brain health in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations.

 

Kate has been a consultant pharmacist with Dementia Training Australia. She has developed educational programs for health professionals focusing on improving understanding of dementia care, and has overseen the development of an app that optimises the use of antipsychotic medications in people with dementia.

 

Quotes attributable to Dr Fei Sim:

“Kate has developed educational programs for health professionals focusing on improving understanding of dementia care, and overseen development of an online app to reduce unnecessary and dangerous use of antipsychotic medicines in people living with dementia. She is an impressive early career pharmacist.”

 

Richard Smirk, Pharmacist of the Year

 

Richard Smirk received the Pharmacist of the Year Award in recognition of decades of support to the profession and the community in Western Australia. Over many years, Richard has devoted countless hours of his time as regulator and governance leader to protect the community and foster the next generations of pharmacists.

 

Integral to the establishment of AHPRA in WA, Richard has also contributed to ongoing improvements to the processes for registration of pharmacists, examining intern pharmacists and framing the governance around the restructure of the Pharmaceutical Society of WA.

 

Richard has demonstrated his love of the pharmacy profession since he was a student. He was President of WAPSA in 1981 and Communications Officer for NAPSA in 1982. His great skill at communicating was also on display from 1998 to 2011 when he co-edited Rescript magazine for PSWA. Apart from his founding work when PSWA was redesigned, Richard also helped guide the establishment of AHPRA in this State.

 

Richard currently serves the profession as the Clinical Advisory Pharmacy at AHPRA in Perth as well as participating in the Australian Pharmacy Council’s Site Evaluation Team, to audit and re-accredit pharmacy university courses around Australia.

 

Quotes attributable to Dr Fei Sim:

“Richard has given so much to the profession since 1981 and has never asked for recognition or recompense. The enormous volume of work he has produced and his wide scope of practice deserves acknowledgement.”

 

“He has devoted so much of his time and energy to improving the processes around registration of pharmacists, examining intern pharmacists and framing the governance around the WAPSA’s restructure. We owe him a debt of gratitude.”

 

Professor Rhonda Clifford, Lifetime Achievement Award

Expertise in education and research

 

Professor Rhonda Clifford, was presented with this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award for her ongoing contribution to the pharmacy profession and the community.

 

Prof Clifford, who has over 35 years’ experience in education and research both nationally and internationally, currently serves as Head of School (Allied Health) at University of Western Australia in Perth. She has encouraged and mentored pharmacists at all stages of their careers. She is dedicated to ensuring that vulnerable populations are key in her education and research pursuits – particularly aged care and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

 

Prof Clifford has been pivotal in ensuring the APC National Education Standards provide certainty that intern pharmacists can deliver excellence in all aspects of medicine management. An example of this is the state-wide implementation of the My Medicines and Me Questionnaire (M3Q) to empower mental health consumers.

 

She has been Chief Investigator and project lead on many projects, such as Lactamap, a resource which provides support to doctors to provide lactation care to breastfeeding women around the world. She was awarded the Erik Kirk Memorial Award in 2016 and a Senior Fellowship in the internationally recognised Higher Education Academy in 2019.

 

Quotes attributable to Dr Fei Sim:

“As an internationally recognised educator, Professor Clifford has been pivotal in ensuring the APC National Education Standards provide certainty that graduate pharmacists can deliver excellence in all aspects of medication management”, said Dr Sim.

 

“She has worked tirelessly throughout her career to encourage and mentor pharmacy students and pharmacists to achieve their goals.”

 

Media contact: PSA media 0424 777 463

Budget must fund pharmacists for aged care to end avoidable deaths

Now is the time for action on medicine management in aged care. PSA urges the government to fund pharmacists for aged care facilities in the upcoming 2021-22 Federal Budget.

 

Older Australians in residential aged care facilities continue to face significant threats to their health due to harm arising from misuse or mismanagement of their medications.

 

PSA National President, A/Prof Chris Freeman, said older Australians are paying the price with either their life or their quality of life.

 

“Twenty per cent of unplanned hospital admissions for aged care residents are a result of inappropriate medicine use. This is a game of Russian roulette, and unfortunately our older Australians are paying the price.”

 

“There is no denying that the current system is failing, and pharmacists are part of the solution. The government must act now, before it is too late for some of our aged care residents.”

 

“By embedding pharmacists is these facilities, we can safeguard residents from the harms medicines are causing and maximise their effectiveness in improving quality of life.”

 

“PSA’s Medicine Safety: Take Care report identified 98% of people living in aged care facilities have at least one medicine-related problem. This can no longer be tolerated”, A/Prof Freeman said.

 

Australia’s current service arrangements and limited available funding is grossly inadequate for pharmacists to deliver on the range of medicine and medication management services that could benefit the aged care sector, improve quality and safety, and minimise harm to residents.

 

PSA looks forward to learning of the outcomes of the upcoming budget and calls on the Government to recognise that that medicine-related harm in aged care is largely avoidable, by embedding pharmacists in residential aged care.

 

 

Media contact: PSA media 0424 777 463

PSA welcomes re-elected Tasmanian Government

The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) congratulates the Tasmanian Liberal Party on their re-election in Tasmania.

 

PSA Tasmanian Branch President, Dr Ella van Tienen, congratulated Premier Gutwein and the party on their successful re-election, and said that the PSA is looking forward to continuing to work together to improve health outcomes for Tasmanians.

 

“Prior to and throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, PSA has worked with the Gutwein Government on a number of important measures to ensure pharmacists remained safe and patients could continue to access their medications.”

 

“We expect this strong relationship to continue.”

 

Dr van Tienen went on to say that PSA are also looking forward to working with the Tasmanian Government on their pre-election commitments.

 

“Implementation of the pre-election commitments by the Liberal Government will provide more opportunities for our pharmacists to improve the health and wellness of Tasmanians.”

 

“Pharmacists should be permitted to administer vaccines under the National Immunisation Program (NIP), as is already the case in other states and territories like Victoria, the ACT, WA, and most recently NSW.”

 

“PSA also welcomes the scope of practice review that will be undertaken to explore further opportunities for pharmacists and ensure they can practice to their fullest potential.”

 

PSA will continue to advocate for the government to commit $300,000 to fund a collaborative pharmacist-prescribing pilot in aged care facilities, and to remove barriers to administering prescribed medicines by injection.

 

“A collaborative prescribing trial between general practitioners and pharmacists is necessary to reduce avoidable hospital admissions. Amendment of Tasmania’s Poisons Regulations 2018 allowing pharmacists to administer lawfully prescribed Schedule 4 and Schedule 8 medicines via injection, will improve the state’s management of patients with complex health conditions.”

 

Media contact: PSA media 0424 777 463