1.Women in leadership panel a highlight of PSA17 conference
March 8, 2017
A panel of high-profile female leaders will discuss gender diversity and leadership opportunities in pharmacy at PSA17, the flagship annual conference for the peak national body for pharmacists, the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA).
To coincide with International Women’s Day today (March 8), PSA announced the Women in Leadership Panel will be a major highlight at PSA17 to be held on Friday, July 28 at the Hyatt Regency, Sydney.
The interactive panel session – featuring Federal Member for Dobell and pharmacist Emma McBride – is aimed to inspire female leaders in pharmacy and engage male and female pharmacists to support and discuss gender diversity.
PSA’s Executive Director Policy, Advocacy and Innovation Dr Alison Roberts will facilitate the panel of leaders, including:
- Melissa McGregor – Managing Director of Pfizer Australia
- Rhonda White AO – Co-founder and director, Terry White Chemists
- Debbie Rigby – Well-known consultant clinical pharmacist
- Shefali Parekh – President of National Australian Pharmacy Students’ Association (NAPSA)
- Victoria Rutter – Executive Director, Commonwealth Pharmacists’ Association.
Dr Roberts said the impressive line-up of panellists would generate lively debate about leadership during the 90-minute session.
“The latest Pharmacy Board of Australia Registrant Data show 61 per cent of registered pharmacists are female but the boards and leadership of pharmacy organisations and pharmacy businesses don’t seem to reflect this,” Dr Roberts said.
“However there are numerous studies showing that promoting gender equality is associated with better organisational and financial performance for organisations.”
PSA17 provides an ideal platform for pharmacists to discuss these key issues as well as network with pharmacists from across the globe through a partnership with the Commonwealth Pharmacists’ Association.
More than 50 presenters will address the conference theme of Leading Pharmacy Innovation, including many local and international experts.
A limited amount of early bird tickets are now available from the PSA17 website until 14 May 2017. For more information, click here>>
Watch a new PSA17 promo video here>>
2.Pharmacists honoured at SA/NT awards
March 7, 2017
SA and NT’s 2016 pharmacy achievers were honoured at the peak national body for pharmacists, the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia’s (PSA) Awards night.
Pharmacy mentor, leader and clinical pharmacist Dr Natalie Soulsby won the SA/NT Pharmacist of the Year, which acknowledges an achiever within the profession who is involved in innovative practice, strives to raise practice standards, and through their professionalism, provides a model of practice which others strive to emulate.
PSA SA/NT President Sue Edwards said Dr Soulsby had established an exemplary and diverse model of pharmacy practice and was a mentor and leader for a busy national workforce of consultant pharmacists, leading by example and maintaining a dynamic consultant pharmacy practice in affiliation with a busy general practice and also providing Home Medicines Reviews (HMRs) for disabled people.
Ms Edwards said Dr Soulsby also worked with medical staff at the Royal Adelaide Hospital, providing Medication Reviews in the Multidisciplinary Ambulatory Clinical Service for patients referred by medical specialists and GPs.
“Dr Soulsby led operations for providers of consultant pharmacy services, overseeing a large team of pharmacists providing services for more than 16,000 residential aged-care beds nationally (including SA), as well as working collaboratively with many GP groups,” Ms Edwards said.
Intern pharmacist Sankit Lalseta from the Star Discount Chemist, Pasadena, was announced as the 2016 PSA MIMS Intern Pharmacist of the Year.
Ms Edwards said Sankit had shown a strong interest in learning to deliver professional services, particularly Home Medicines Reviews.
“Sankit has been actively involved with and positively contributed to the PSA Early Career Pharmacist Working Group as an intern representative. He has fostered close working relationships with his local GPs who have found his knowledge and engagement extremely valuable,” Ms Edwards said.
As part of the Award, Sankit will now attend PSA’s flagship conference PSA17 in Sydney from July 28–30. At PSA17, he will compete with other State and Territory winners for the coveted PSA MIMS National Intern Pharmacist of the Year Award. MIMS Australia is the leading sponsor of the Award and contributes the major prize of $2,000 to each State/Territory winner to be used to help advance their pharmacy career.
Sam Keitaanpaa was awarded the SA/NT Early Career Pharmacist Development Award sponsored by Hood Sweeney which celebrates a young achiever, less than 10 years post registration, who strives to raise practice standards and provide a model of practice others strive to meet.
Mr Keitaanpaa completed a Bachelor of Pharmacy with first class Honours from Charles Darwin University and is passionate about improving medicine delivery and support for remote communities.
Ms Edwards said Sam was a highly qualified clinical pharmacist with the knowledge and ability not just to perform but also to train and mentor others around him. He was awarded the Pharmacy Student of the Year 2012 (NT) and the Ian Marshall Award for Outstanding Commitment to Pharmacy Practice and is currently completing his PhD focusing on the barriers to implementation of smoking cessation in Indigenous Australians.
“Sam has recently developed a customised in-house pharmacy intern training program modelled after the AHPRA intern training principles,” Ms Edwards said.
The PSA Gold Medal was awarded to Nora Lam. It is awarded on completion of the Bachelor of Pharmacy at the University of South Australia to the student who has the highest grade point average (GPA) and has completed the program within four academic years, providing their final GPA is above 6.25. It is PSA SA/NT’s most prestigious student award.
The Life Fellow Award for more than 50 years’ contribution to PSA was awarded to Kym Laslett. Three new Life Members were also announced: Heather Simpson, Paul Kassapis and John Garrod.
3.Seema Khiani wins NSW/ACT Intern Pharmacist of the Year
March 6, 2017
High-achieving intern pharmacist Seema Khiani has been announced the winner of the PSA MIMS NSW/ACT Intern Pharmacist of the Year Award by the peak national body for pharmacists, the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA).
This is the first year PSA has offered the prestigious Award jointly between NSW and the ACT. Presented on Saturday, March 4, the Award recognises intern pharmacists who demonstrate outstanding performance in their development as professional pharmacists, acting as role models amongst Early Career Pharmacists.
Ms Khiani – from Capital Chemist in Charnwood in Canberra – championed and led a number of professional service initiatives during her intern year at the pharmacy and was responsible for driving the success of a smoking cessation pilot program.
PSA ACT Branch Director Caroline Khalil congratulated Ms Khiani on her achievements and dedication to the profession.
She said Ms Khiani displayed exceptional leadership and initiative in health promotion activities that involved partnering with a number of organisations including the Cancer Council of ACT, Heart Foundation and Lung Foundation.
“Ms Khiani has demonstrated a patient-centric approach to driving the best possible patient outcomes while adding to the viability of the community pharmacy and contributing to professional satisfaction,” Ms Khalil said.
PSA NSW Branch Director Simone Diamandis also congratulated Ms Khiani on her Award.
As part of her Award, Ms Khiani will now attend PSA’s flagship conference PSA17 in Sydney from July 28–30. At PSA17, she will compete with other State and Territory winners for the coveted PSA MIMS National Intern Pharmacist of the Year Award.
MIMS Australia is the leading sponsor of the Award and contributes the major prize of $2000 to each State/Territory winner to be used to help advance their pharmacy career.
MIMS Australia has been publishing medicines information since 1963 and is the leading supplier of trusted, quality, independent medicine information to Australian healthcare professionals, known for its high level of editorial integrity and independence.