February 24, 2015
Bruce Elliot elected President of PSA Queensland Branch
Yeppoon community pharmacist Bruce Elliot, a former Pharmaceutical Society of Australia Young Pharmacist of the Year, has been elected as the new President of the Queensland Branch of the PSA following the resignation of Professor Lisa Nissen.
Professor Nissen has resigned from the position to concentrate on her role as Professor (Head) of the School of Clinical Sciences at Queensland University of Technology.
Professor Nissen will remain on the PSA Queensland Branch Committee where she will continue to focus on the interests ofPSA’s Queensland members.
National President of PSA, Grant Kardachi, welcomed Mr Elliot, who has been a Vice-President of the Branch, as “a young pharmacist who is enthusiastic and committed to the profession”.
“His achievements as a young pharmacist, health professional and future leader of the profession are already evident within his professional practice and his service to the profession as a whole.
“I welcome Bruce to the position and look forward to working with him to ensure our Queensland members continue to have the best possible opportunities and services available to them through their membership of PSA.
“Mr Elliot is Chairman of Central Queensland Medicare Local (CQML) and has demonstrated experience in primary health care from a wider sense, and in addition has strong clinical and corporate governance skills.”
Mr Kardachi said Professor Nissen had made an outstanding contribution to PSA as Branch President.
“Professor Nissen has driven many of the advances we have seen for pharmacists in Queensland and nationally has championed a wide range of important initiatives in areas such as pain management, prescribing and vaccination,” Mr Kardachi said.
“Recently she has led the Queensland Pharmacist Immunisation Pilot (QPIP) whose outstanding success has been the catalyst for regulatory change across Australia which I am confident will see pharmacists immunising patients across Australia in the immediate future.
“She was a conjoint winner of the 2014 Bowl of Hygeia – the PSA Queensland Branch’s highest honour.
“I am delighted she is able to continue contributing her expertise and knowledge to the profession as a member of the Queensland Branch Committee. Professor Nissen will focus on the implementation of phase 2 of QPIP.”
Branch Committee member Jacqueline Kiel has been appointed Vice President to fill the position vacated by Mr Elliot’s election as President.
Ms Kiel is heavily involved in implementing professional services into pharmacies in the Sunshine Coast area and ensuring a health focus is consistently achieved. In 2013, the pharmacy she managed won Business of the Year for Central Queensland due to its outstanding level of service to the community. She believes the delivery of professional services in pharmacy is critical for communities. She has also initiated intern programs to assist in their training and to ensure they are receiving an excellent level of mentoring. She is the Queensland Branch’s ECP liaison.
Dr Chris Freeman retains his position as the other Vice-President.