Home - Australian Pharmacist

Rethinking how we manage osteoarthritis pain

RB - 9 October 2019

Advertorial

Alex Page, pharmacist at Outback Pharmacies and former winner of the PSA Award for QUM in Pain Management, and Joyce McSwan, Founder and Managing...

PSA working to increase pharmacist remuneration

Dr Chris Freeman FPS - 1 March 2019

Industry

PSA has this week lodged two major submissions addressing pharmacist remuneration. The first is our response to the Medicare Benefits Schedule Review Taskforce, where...

Mental health medicines and drug-related deaths

Tara de Koning and Chloe Hava - 18 June 2019

Clinical

A recent study of coronial inquest findings revealed medicines relating to mental health conditions (antidepressants, antipsychotics) were most commonly implicated in non-opioid and non-benzodiazepine...

Patients and My Health Record

Dr Kenneth Lee - 19 September 2018

Industry

To opt out or not to opt out: what role does a pharmacist have in helping patients make informed decisions about My Health Record? The...

Shifting gears: the pain specialist

Ruth Cooper - 15 April 2019

People

Pene Wood is a dedicated pain, addiction and Quality Use of Medicines specialist who works across community pharmacy, policy and education. She has recently...

How pharmacists can help diagnose and manage cow’s milk allergy

Dr Ginni Mansberg - 13 February 2020

7.30am	Brew and view Start the day with a strong latte; it’s non-negotiable. I’ll also usually have a quick look through my emails to get a sense of what’s coming up.
8.00am	Team alignment Connect with the team and check in on key priorities across the portfolio, including learner progress, program delivery, CPD and workforce initiatives. A lot of the focus is on aligning moving parts and making sure everything is tracking as it should.
12.00pm	Stakeholder engagement Meet with stakeholders – including health departments, partners or internal leaders – to discuss how our work supports current and evolving pharmacy roles. These conversations help to build a bridge between education and practice, ensuring what we’re doing is practical and required for pharmacists on the ground.
2.00pm	Program blueprint Spend time with the team on program design and delivery. That might be refining a workshop, reviewing content or shaping digital learning.
4.00pm	Shifting gears Pivot to more strategic work – including looking at new initiatives, thinking about what’s coming next, and how we continue to maintain and improve quality. This is usually where things start to connect across the bigger picture.
6.00pm	Evening reset Wrap up and head home. Evenings are a chance to spend time with my husband, check in on my parents in Malaysia and decompress. We chat about the day and catch up on everything that’s been going on.
8.00pm	Global growth Check emails or connect with collaborators in different time zones. I also use this time as a chance to step back and reflect on my work and where things are heading.

1989	Establishment of the SAS The SAS was established as part of the Therapeutic Goods Act to maintain access to essential medicines not listed on the ARTG, while maintaining public safety.1
2016	Legalisation of medicinal cannabis Decades of restricted research and patent difficulties reduced the commercial incentive to fund the large clinical trials needed for full TGA registration. The SAS has become the default pathway for medicinal cannabis submissions10 – particularly for chronic pain and anxiety – increasing almost 100-fold since 2018.11
2017	Introduction of SAS-C New access pathway introduced in response to TGA medical devices review.3
2021	Discontinuation of opioids used in palliative care SAS volumes increased between 2021 and 2023 following discontinuation of several oral opioid products (e.g. hydromorphone).12
2024	Restriction of vapes to therapeutic use Government policy response to address rising child and adolescent use of unregulated nicotine-containing vapes. Adult smokers seeking to use vaping as a cessation tool now use the SAS-C pathway.13

7.30am	Brew and view Start the day with a strong latte; it’s non-negotiable. I’ll also usually have a quick look through my emails to get a sense of what’s coming up.
8.00am	Team alignment Connect with the team and check in on key priorities across the portfolio, including learner progress, program delivery, CPD and workforce initiatives. A lot of the focus is on aligning moving parts and making sure everything is tracking as it should.
12.00pm	Stakeholder engagement Meet with stakeholders – including health departments, partners or internal leaders – to discuss how our work supports current and evolving pharmacy roles. These conversations help to build a bridge between education and practice, ensuring what we’re doing is practical and required for pharmacists on the ground.
2.00pm	Program blueprint Spend time with the team on program design and delivery. That might be refining a workshop, reviewing content or shaping digital learning.
4.00pm	Shifting gears Pivot to more strategic work – including looking at new initiatives, thinking about what’s coming next, and how we continue to maintain and improve quality. This is usually where things start to connect across the bigger picture.
6.00pm	Evening reset Wrap up and head home. Evenings are a chance to spend time with my husband, check in on my parents in Malaysia and decompress. We chat about the day and catch up on everything that’s been going on.
8.00pm	Global growth Check emails or connect with collaborators in different time zones. I also use this time as a chance to step back and reflect on my work and where things are heading.

1989	Establishment of the SAS The SAS was established as part of the Therapeutic Goods Act to maintain access to essential medicines not listed on the ARTG, while maintaining public safety.1
2016	Legalisation of medicinal cannabis Decades of restricted research and patent difficulties reduced the commercial incentive to fund the large clinical trials needed for full TGA registration. The SAS has become the default pathway for medicinal cannabis submissions10 – particularly for chronic pain and anxiety – increasing almost 100-fold since 2018.11
2017	Introduction of SAS-C New access pathway introduced in response to TGA medical devices review.3
2021	Discontinuation of opioids used in palliative care SAS volumes increased between 2021 and 2023 following discontinuation of several oral opioid products (e.g. hydromorphone).12
2024	Restriction of vapes to therapeutic use Government policy response to address rising child and adolescent use of unregulated nicotine-containing vapes. Adult smokers seeking to use vaping as a cessation tool now use the SAS-C pathway.13

7.30am	Brew and view Start the day with a strong latte; it’s non-negotiable. I’ll also usually have a quick look through my emails to get a sense of what’s coming up.
8.00am	Team alignment Connect with the team and check in on key priorities across the portfolio, including learner progress, program delivery, CPD and workforce initiatives. A lot of the focus is on aligning moving parts and making sure everything is tracking as it should.
12.00pm	Stakeholder engagement Meet with stakeholders – including health departments, partners or internal leaders – to discuss how our work supports current and evolving pharmacy roles. These conversations help to build a bridge between education and practice, ensuring what we’re doing is practical and required for pharmacists on the ground.
2.00pm	Program blueprint Spend time with the team on program design and delivery. That might be refining a workshop, reviewing content or shaping digital learning.
4.00pm	Shifting gears Pivot to more strategic work – including looking at new initiatives, thinking about what’s coming next, and how we continue to maintain and improve quality. This is usually where things start to connect across the bigger picture.
6.00pm	Evening reset Wrap up and head home. Evenings are a chance to spend time with my husband, check in on my parents in Malaysia and decompress. We chat about the day and catch up on everything that’s been going on.
8.00pm	Global growth Check emails or connect with collaborators in different time zones. I also use this time as a chance to step back and reflect on my work and where things are heading.

What drew you to education?

Describe your career so far.

What does your new role at PSA entail?

Tell us more about your work involving simulation and digital learning.

What are the challenges of introducing new technologies or teaching models?

Any advice for ECPs who want to shape the next generation of pharmacists?

Day in the life of Vivienne Mak, Head of Education and Training, PSA, Melbourne, Victoria

What has your career looked like so far?

Why aged care?

What are the challenges and rewards of working in this setting?

Tell us about the training program for onsite pharmacists you’re developing.

What are the next steps?

How could the ACOP program improve?

Who’s your audience?

Does placement matter?

Beyond the label

References

Regulatory obligations

Professional responsibilities

Lack of approved Product Information, CMI and clinical guidelines

Drug interactions

Entry in clinical software

Informed patient consent

Direct importation becomes sponsorship

Considering risks of treatment

The SAS timeline

References

1. Who can administer FluMist?

2. Can pharmacists co-administer vaccines?

3. Can pharmacists vaccinate interstate?

4. How do pharmacists maintain immunisation credentials?

What drew you to education?

Describe your career so far.

What does your new role at PSA entail?

Tell us more about your work involving simulation and digital learning.

What are the challenges of introducing new technologies or teaching models?

Any advice for ECPs who want to shape the next generation of pharmacists?

Day in the life of Vivienne Mak, Head of Education and Training, PSA, Melbourne, Victoria

What has your career looked like so far?

Why aged care?

What are the challenges and rewards of working in this setting?

Tell us about the training program for onsite pharmacists you’re developing.

What are the next steps?

How could the ACOP program improve?

Who’s your audience?

Does placement matter?

Beyond the label

References

Regulatory obligations

Professional responsibilities

Lack of approved Product Information, CMI and clinical guidelines

Drug interactions

Entry in clinical software

Informed patient consent

Direct importation becomes sponsorship

Considering risks of treatment

The SAS timeline

References

1. Who can administer FluMist?

2. Can pharmacists co-administer vaccines?

3. Can pharmacists vaccinate interstate?

4. How do pharmacists maintain immunisation credentials?

What drew you to education?

Describe your career so far.

What does your new role at PSA entail?

Tell us more about your work involving simulation and digital learning.

What are the challenges of introducing new technologies or teaching models?

Any advice for ECPs who want to shape the next generation of pharmacists?

Day in the life of Vivienne Mak, Head of Education and Training, PSA, Melbourne, Victoria

What has your career looked like so far?

Why aged care?

What are the challenges and rewards of working in this setting?

Tell us about the training program for onsite pharmacists you’re developing.

What are the next steps?

How could the ACOP program improve?

Who’s your audience?

Does placement matter?

Beyond the label

References

Regulatory obligations