SHPA Virtual Congress award winners announced

The Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia (SHPA) has hosted a successful, celebratory and all-virtual 2020 SHPA Virtual Congress (VCON), with members, fellows, hospital pharmacists and technicians from across the country tuning in.

Sessions reflected on the challenges of 2020, lessons learnt amidst the coronavirus pandemic and how the profession can harness national focus on medication safety and aged care to improve patient care in all settings.

Inspirational presentations were given by 2020 Fred J Boyd Award recipient Professor Jeff Hughes, 2020 SHPA Medal of Merit recipient Vaughn Eaton and 2020 Australian Clinical Pharmacy Award recipient Dr Erica Tong.

SHPA CEO Kristin Michaels revealed the winners of the 2020 SHPA Members’ Awards, determined by member vote, with all 2020 Branch Award recipients as nominees.

Phil Tibbits (Tas Branch) was announced as 2020 SHPA Early Career Pharmacist of the Year, recognised for outstanding leadership demonstrated in managing a clinical service leading up to, and during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Fellow Tasmanian Liza D’Ettorre won 2020 SHPA Technician of the Year, with her work in the procurement, storage, distribution and reporting of medicines recognised as crucial in a year where medicine supply and distribution has been paramount.

The 2020 SHPA Hospital Team Innovation of the Year honour went to the Western Australia Country Health Service (WACHS) Telechemotherapy Cancer Team. The team was recognised for overcoming significant — and often complex — barriers to delivering chemotherapy services to the Kimberley, Pilbara and Wheatbelt regions of WA this year. These included a lack of appropriately trained staff, medical governance issues and medication supply challenges, as well as a range of COVID-related challenges, such as border closures.

Mika Varitimos (Qld Branch) was announced as SHPA 2020 Resident of the Year. Varitimos is a Medication Safety Pharmacist at Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, whose presentation was titled ‘The time is now: ensuring timely and appropriate medications for patients with Parkinson’s disease’.

Other finalists were Georgia Bish (Vic), Matthew Hollett (Vic), Bianca Jones (Tas), Negin Nasseh (Qld), Jennie Nguyen (Vic), Ella Raguz (Qld) and Georgia Walsh (Vic).

Image caption: Mika Varitimos (Qld Branch) was announced as SHPA 2020 Resident of the Year.