A year of growth for most

As 2019 draws to a close, seven pharmacists from around the country reflect on the year that was, and look to what 2020 has in store.

Lauren Burton MPS, Western Australia

Hospital pharmacist and PSA Early Career Pharmacist (ECP) Director

What’s the one thing that’s been the most important to your role in the last 12 months?

The evolution of My Health Record is a critical step forward in ensuring pharmacists have access to current and relevant health information and medicines data. Having access to information empowers pharmacists to make decisions that best support the patient.

What helped your work as a pharmacist this year?

I have been lucky enough to have a number of mentors and coaches who have supported my own development, both as a member of a hospital pharmacy department in Western Australia and as a PSA Board Director and National Chair of our ECP network. 

Although many ECPs are passionate, energetic and committed to being the best they can be, one thing most of us lack is experience. The success of our emerging leaders will depend on the willingness of more experienced pharmacists to share their knowledge and provide constructive advice and support. Without this support I wouldn’t have been able to achieve my responsibilities this year.

What are you looking forward to in 2020?

I can’t wait to see the contribution our emerging leaders make to the many issues that require pharmacists to step up and step forward, such as medicine safety, aged care, and rural, regional and remote healthcare and workforce development. 

ECPs are also engaging in professional development opportunities that further enable them to be embedded in decision-making related to medicines management, whether that be working in a primary care setting, on a hospital ward, with a project team or a committee. 

Michael Wong MPS, New South Wales

General practice pharmacist

What most excited you about pharmacy in 2019?

Being able to explore another year in general practice as a non-dispensing clinical pharmacist (GP pharmacist). This involves working alongside GPs and the practice team to see how pharmacists can be integrated into the primary care setting with the ultimate aim to improve patient health outcomes.

What’s the one thing that’s been most important to your role in the last 12 months?

The most challenging thing was working on different strategies to engage all GPs in the practice team to use the skills of the GP pharmacist to the fullest extent. Being a relatively new concept, some GPs are more readily accepting of the role from the start, whereas other GPs take a bit of time and further education regarding the benefits of having a pharmacist integrated into the practice team.

Were wages and growth big themes for you in 2019?

Wages are a big theme but [progress] was not necessarily achieved in 2019 … Unfortunately, in recent years, we have seen pharmacist wage growth stagnate. This could cause significant stress to young pharmacists and cause the pharmacy field to become a less desirable career choice and less likely to attract talented individuals.

Growth was a big theme for me in 2019. I developed further as a clinical pharmacist through working in general practice alongside GPs, conducting home medicine reviews, and co-facilitating education workshops.

What are you looking forward to in 2020?

I look forward to (hopefully) working in different general practices to develop the role of a GP pharmacist and allow a greater number of GPs to see that the value of a pharmacist goes far beyond the dispensary. 

I hope that the entire practice team will recognise the benefits of integrating a pharmacist in general practice. That includes reducing the burden on the GP and the team, as well as improving patient health outcomes through a team-based model, where each member of the team provides their own expertise into each patient’s care.

Pankti Shastri MPS, Tasmania

Professional Service Pharmacist

What most excited you about pharmacy in 2019?

This was my first year working as a fully qualified community pharmacist – this itself was the most exciting part about pharmacy for me in 2019.

What has helped your work as a pharmacist this year?

Learning that pharmacists play an active role in the overall health of the community – not just dispensing and performing medication reviews – has been a real eye-opener for me. 

Also, grasping the fact that our practice goes far beyond four years of university education and is more about continuously developing your professional skills to meet the needs of the local community. 

What are you looking forward to in 2020?

I recently took part in a CPD activity to advance my skills as a chronic pain management community pharmacist, and my priority in 2020 is to set up a fully functional chronic pain management clinic. 

This is aimed at identifying people living with poorly managed chronic pain, implementing a chronic pain MedsCheck service for these patients, and helping them achieve their individual health priorities. 

Nick Sourlos MPS, Victoria

Hospital pharmacist

What’s the one thing that’s been the most important to your pharmacy role in the last 12 months?

The hospital I work in has undergone a significant change in that we have transitioned from a GP-led health service to the introduction of medical resident-assisted health service, which includes 24/7 medical presence. 

As a result, pharmacists are now included in the rounding medical team and have a much more active input into inpatient care. The biggest challenge, and seemingly a huge improvement, has been in demonstrating the value a pharmacist can bring to the team.

What most excited you about pharmacy in 2019?

I was most excited to see that non-dispensing pharmacists are now included in the Workforce Incentive Program funding scheme for General Practices. It will be exciting to see what innovations evolve from this. 

I am hoping to see initiatives that close the information gap between transitions of care …  Drawing particular attention to the increased risk of medication misadventure at points of handover in the patient’s journey, such as discharge from hospital care to community care.

What are you looking forward to in 2020?

I am eager to watch further developments surrounding the infusion of technology with healthcare delivery and tertiary education. With budget cuts each year, digitalisation can provide the efficiency gains to allow health professionals to deliver more outcomes without compromising on the standards of patient care.

Olivia Collenette MPS, ACT

Community pharmacist

What most excited you about pharmacy in 2019?

In the ACT we had a National Immunisation Program (NIP) over-65s influenza vaccination trial, which was exciting to participate in. Hopefully the results of the trial, which are still to be announced, are positive and open the door for more NIP vaccinations being available for pharmacist administration.

What’s the one thing that’s been the most important to your role in the last 12 months?

A big impact on my year has been the negativity surrounding pharmacy and pharmacists in the medical media. At the end of the day, I think all health professionals are just trying to help their patients and we all need to work together to do this best, rather than trying to bring each other down. Hopefully the criticism lets up in 2020 and we can all get on with our equally important jobs.

What helped your work as a pharmacist this year?

I work in a leadership role and the best thing I did for this was taking part in the PSA Ignite Leadership Program. It made me much more confident in my dealings with staff and leading my team.

What are you looking forward to in 2020?

I’m looking forward to what the Seventh Community Pharmacy Agreement (7CPA) brings and the expansion of pharmacist scope of practice. I’d love to see pharmacist-administered vaccinations become more standardised across Australia, enabling us to better care for our communities.

Shane MacDonald MPS, Queensland

Pharmacist manager and Queensland PSA branch committee member

What most excited you about pharmacy in 2019?

There are two things I can’t separate that really stood out for me this year. One was PSA’s Pharmacists in 2023 report that was released at the beginning of the year. This is a document that looks to empower the pharmacy profession into the future. 

The second was the government making medicine safety and the quality use of medicines the 10th National Health Priority area. As a pharmacist this is very exciting as we are the medicines experts. We are in a position where we can make a positive change to the wellbeing of our patients.

What’s the one thing that’s been most important to your role in the last 12 months?

Medicines safety. This year has really shone a light on how important medicine safety is and how important our role as pharmacists and medicines experts is to our patients in our communities. 

Were wages and growth big themes for you in 2019?

Yes … As pharmacists, I believe we work very hard for the benefit of our communities. To learn that we can further progress our careers through continual learning and new pathways has definitely been a positive message for me over the last 12 months.

What helped your work as a pharmacist this year?

There could be a million answers to this question, but for me, I can say three things: 

1. having a strong network of colleagues, including mentors, who are there to help push and improve myself as a pharmacist;
2. to be actively engaged in my profession; and
3. to have a family support network around me. I don’t think we should ever underestimate the importance of positive mental wellbeing.

Stacey Putland MPS, South Australia

Accredited pharmacist and PSA South Australian National Representative for ECPs

What’s the one thing that’s been the most important to your pharmacy role in the last 12 months?

Communication. I’m learning that HOW you say something or HOW you show it may be as important as WHAT you say or WHAT you do.

What helped your work as a pharmacist this year?

Following through with a mentor after the PSA ConnectMe event. Don’t underestimate the impact of a great mentor!

What are you looking forward to in 2020?

Up-skilling clinically and professionally as I find my feet as an aged care pharmacist.

What most excited you about pharmacy in 2019?

The opportunity to be part of the joint PSA and Country SA Primary Health Network ‘embedding pharmacists in aged care’ project. It has always felt like the logical next step and now it is finally a reality.