Innovative Pharmacist of the Year Award Announced

The Queensland Pharmacist Immunisation Implementation Pilot team, led by the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia’s Queensland President, Professor Lisa Nissen, has received the prestigious University of Technology Sydney Innovative Pharmacist of the Year award.
 
The team is made up of Professor Nissen; Chris Campbell, Professional Services Pharmacist at Terry WhiteManagement; Michelle Rosenthal, PSA Queensland Branch Director; and Megan Del Dot, PSA Queensland Branch pharmacist.
The QPIP Pilot was a key health initiative run as a collaboration with the Pharmacy Guild of Australia Queensland Branch.
National President of PSA, Grant Kardachi, who attended the awards ceremony, said the award was a deserving recognition for the work the team had put in ensuring the success of the pilot program.
“The QPIP team developed and implemented a world class pilot program in Queensland that achieved outstanding results,” Mr Kardachi said.
“Their program is now being seen as a foundation for similar programs across other States and Territories in Australia.
“The award is a testament to the commitment and dedication of the QPIP team in developing and implementing this pilot which saw some 10,000 people in Queensland receive vaccinations from pharmacists.”
Mr Kardachi said PSA and the Guild had been the driving forces behind the pilot.
“We saw quite obvious public health benefits in the program and the initial data backs this up with some 10,000 people receiving vaccinations through the program,” he said.
“The vast majority of these people would not otherwise have been vaccinated.
“I congratulate all members of the team, and everyone involved in the pilot, for their success and on being named Innovative Pharmacist of the Year.
“This program is indeed innovative in that it opens up the provision of vaccinations to more people while also presenting new areas of practice opportunity for pharmacists.”