May 2020 Edition
Welcome to the Guild Early Career Pharmacist Newsletter. As part of the Guild family, you will receive this quarterly newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox - bringing you the most relevant issues and advances in the industry today
Message from George Tambassis, Guild National President
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all Early Career Pharmacists for your amazing work during the COVID-19 crisis.
The way you and your colleagues have demonstrated your ability, commitment and dedication to your patients and to the profession makes me very proud to be a member of that profession.
I know it has not been easy. You have had to deal with situations that none of us has been trained for but repeatedly you have gone above and beyond to ensure patients are looked after during this crisis.
Many of these patients have been scared, some panicky, as they navigate a world of uncertainty. Having you as islands of calm and health professionalism has been critical in helping them to carry on.
I salute the whole profession, but particularly you Early Career Pharmacists who may not have had the breadth of experience some of your colleagues have been able to fall back on to help them through these tough times.
Notwithstanding that, you have responded to these challenges in a way that is recognised and respected throughout the country.
As National President of the Pharmacy Guild I am extremely proud of the way you have never faltered in your commitment to ensuring your patients continue to receive their medicines and the services they need, regardless of the challenges you have had to overcome to achieve this objective.
We are not through this crisis yet and I know you will be tested many times again. But I am confident that the examples you have already set will be repeated and that the profession, and other health professionals, will continue to look at you as examples to be followed.
Guild National President
My Pharmacy Career – the destination for community pharmacy jobs in Australia
My Pharmacy Career is your premium job seeking platform for all careers and roles within community pharmacy.
Set your career profile today and let My Pharmacy Career start searching for your career opportunities, apply on line, or simply start searching today of new career opportunities. My Pharmacy Career is an end-to-end recruitment platform designed to help you find careers and exciting roles in Community Pharmacy.
My Pharmacy Career is a national jobs platform specific to community pharmacy. Anyone can register to find a new career or job opportunity within Community Pharmacy.
The My Pharmacy Career App is compatible with Apple and Android phones.
Focusing on pharmacy management and ownership, the PBCN supports the improvement and growth of your business performance and career progression with insights and advice from a range of industry professionals.
The PBCN podcast will be supporting your journey every step of the way.
Podcast in Focus Episode 44:
George Tambassis, National President, Discusses COVID-19
Pharmacists and pharmacy staff have answered the “call to action” and are navigating the COVID-19 landscape with exceptional resolve. Whilst the community pharmacy industry has made considerable efforts to ensure critical services are maintained amidst the outbreak, frontline workers continue to encounter challenges underpinning their professional and moral duties to the response effort.
Today we speak with George Tambassis, National President of The Pharmacy Guild of Australia, to discuss some of these challenges facing community pharmacies as they continue to play a significant role in the healthcare response to COVID-19. We also chat about the achievements the industry has made so far and cover some of the initiatives the Guild is taking to support members and community pharmacy during the health crisis.
Other podcasts of interest;
- GPY 2020 Overall and Business Management Category Winner – Capital Chemist Chisholm with Rebecca Young
- Responding to The Bushfire Emergency with Andrew Topp and Danielle Campbell
- The Importance of Connectedness in Pharmacy Leadership with Mel Kettle
- How to Thrive in a Multi-Generational Workplace with Nicky Mackie
- Mentoring with Guy Lambert Elise Apolloni and Tash Jovanoska
- Building Your Career in Community Pharmacy with Liam Murphy the Roaming Pharmacist
- The Pharmacy Customer’s Experience with Shelley Thomson
- Leadership and Culture in Pharmacies with Daniel Healy - Leading Teams
- Innovation in Pharmacies with Rod Hattch - Wisdom Learning
- Responding to The Bushfire Emergency with Andrew Topp and Danielle Campbell
- Developing Leaders in Community Pharmacy with Jessica Hsiao and Lauren Haworth
- Reconciliation 'What has It Got To Do With Me?' with John Briggs
- 2017 Guild Intern of the Year - Tim Stewart
Guild Pharmacy of the Year 2020 - Chisholm Capital Chemist ACT
Capital Chemist Chisholm in the ACT has been named the Guild Pharmacy of the Year 2020.
The Guild Pharmacy of the Year awards highlight and honour pharmacies that are leaders in adapting and innovating to provide the best healthcare for members of their communities.
At a time when community pharmacists and their staff across Australia are facing unprecedented demand and pressures as frontline health professionals helping patients during the COVID-19 crisis, the Pharmacy of the Year award is a fitting reminder of the pivotal role pharmacies play in the lives of all Australians.
The awards recognise excellence in pharmacy with the announcement of winners across three categories, one of which is named the Pharmacy of the Year.
The category winners this year are:
- Excellence in Professional Innovation – Wizard Pharmacy Kalgoorlie Central
- Excellence in Community Engagement – Wheatbelt Health Centre Pharmacy
- Excellence in Business Management – Capital Chemist Chisholm
A spokesperson for the judging group, pharmacist Nick Panayiaris, Pharmacy Guild of Australia National Councillor and President of the South Australian Branch of the Guild, said Capital Chemist Chisholm has consistently sought to improve its services, performance and viability while maintaining its position as an integral part of the community it serves.
“This pharmacy has a very clear and researched understanding of its community from which it has developed a service tailored to the community’s needs,” Mr Panayiaris said.
“It has done this while also ensuring its business management strategies are second to none because it faces the need to constantly improve and evolve in the competitive market that community pharmacy is today.
“It has also built these management practices around the pharmacy’s business and its professional service innovation which is another outstanding feature of the pharmacy.
“This is an exemplar of the community pharmacy of the future.”
Lucinda Kenny from Calwell Capital Chemist ACT, announced as Guild Intern of the Year 2020
Lucinda Kenny from Capital Chemist Calwell in the ACT has been announced as the 2019 MIMS/Guild Intern of the Year.
The national award supports the next generation of pharmacists and owners to build a strong foundation for their professional careers. Ms Kenny will receive a travel and educational scholarship to the value of $4,500, courtesy of MIMS Australia.
The Pharmacy Guild of Australia, Queensland Branch, Education and Training Manager, Kathy Knack, said the award recognises dedicated and innovative intern pharmacists and thanked the top finalists and nominees.
“Congratulations Lucinda for being awarded the 2019 Intern of the Year. Your level of local community awareness and engagement was outstanding. You displayed a commitment to collaborative patient care and a strong vision for both your career goals to become a dermatology-advanced practice pharmacist, and for the future of community pharmacy,” she said.
2020 Pharmacy Interns – Get MMR Stage One Training for FREE with the Guild ITP!
Guild Interns can now access Medication Management Review (MMR) Stage One Training at no extra cost, through an exclusive agreement with the Australian College of Pharmacy.
Valued at $259, this online course provides interns with an understanding of the important MMR process, improving patient outcomes and helping reduce unnecessary hospital admissions, while learning valuable communication and clinical problem-solving skills.
Find out more at internpharmacist.com.au or call 1300 110 161
GuildEd
GuildEd assists pharmacists, interns and students meet their professional development and education needs through CPD approved education, the CPD learning plan and online training options. Recent relevant education includes:
COVID-19
This mobile-enhanced course provides information for community pharmacists in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. This is a rapidly evolving situation. The course will be updated on a regular basis to ensure pharmacies are receiving up-to-date information on the current response.
Business continuity during COVID-19
This course is designed as a resource for pharmacy owners and managers to support business continuity during the COVID-19 pandemic. The course is available to pharmacists working in Guild member pharmacies only.
How to protect yourself and the people you are caring for from infection with COVID-19
The Department of Health has developed infection control training for COVID-19 which is also available via GuildEd.
Managing stress in pharmacy
Many pharmacists are finding the current COVID-19 crisis to be stressful or causing burnout. This module was created in collaboration with the Pharmacist Support Service, and addresses key contributors to workplace stress in community pharmacy and strategies to minimise stress.
Managing Stress
Community pharmacies and staff are experiencing increased workloads as a result of the shift to telehealth, and the increased administrative work from dispensing digital and faxed prescriptions, increasing presentations to pharmacies, managing medicine shortages, as well as increasing pressure from a stressed and anxious public which, unfortunately, has resulted in some pharmacy staff being abused over issues out of their control.
Risks and concerns around the health of community pharmacy staff, and ensuring their safety and security is of paramount importance. Of particular significance is the impact of the current situation on their mental health and wellbeing.
A very useful resource for all pharmacy staff is the Managing Stress in Pharmacy publication produced by the Pharmacists' Support Service in collaboration with Pharmaceutical Defence Limited (PDL), Pharmacy Guild of Australia (PGA), Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) Professional Pharmacists Australia (PPA)and the Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia (SHPA). This document provides practical advice, and is intended as a tool for pharmacy to identify the varied factors that can lead to workplace stress and to offer some solutions to put into place.
Pharmacists and staff can access professional help through the Pharmacists’ Support Service (PSS). The service is dedicated to the wellbeing of those in the pharmacy profession. For more information and to find other useful resources, call 1300 244 910 or visit the PSS website at www.supportforpharmacists.org.au.
Reconciliation Week 2020 27 May - June 3 #InThisTogether2020
In 2020 Reconciliation Australia marks twenty years of shaping Australia’s journey towards a more just, equitable and reconciled nation.
Much has happened since the early days of the people’s movement for reconciliation, including greater acknowledgement of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander rights to land and sea; understanding of the impact of government policies and frontier conflicts; and an embracing of stories of Indigenous success and contribution.
2020 also marks the twentieth anniversary of the reconciliation walks of 2000, when people came together to walk on bridges and roads across the nation and show their support for a more reconciled Australia.
As always, we stand on the shoulders of those who came before us, and Australians now benefit from the efforts and contributions of people committed to reconciliation in the past.
Today we work together to further that national journey towards a fully reconciled country.
Reconciliation is a journey for all Australians – as individuals, families, communities, organisations and importantly as a nation. At the heart of this journey are relationships between the broader Australian community and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
We strive towards a more just, equitable nation by championing unity and mutual respect as we come together and connect with one another.
On this journey, Australians are all In This Together; every one of us has a role to play when it comes to reconciliation, and in playing our part we collectively build relationships and communities that value Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, histories and cultures.
Why not share what you are doing to honour Reconciliation Week - take a photo and share on social media using the tags #inthistogether and #theguilddispensary
Why We Need a Mentor’s Guidance Now More Than Ever
Unprecedented times like these are when we need to plug into our support systems more than ever.
When it comes to our professional lives, things have been upended.
It’s not uncommon to feel uncertain about what the future of your career holds given this recent upheaval of norms. That’s where a mentoring partner comes in.
Mentoring Tips - Connection in a time of social distancing
Be mindful. As the COVID-19 pandemic spreads, it may trigger trauma for people impacted by the virus or by the news surrounding the pandemic. Let your mentor/mentee know that you see them and are there for them.
Be intentional about preserving continuity in the relationship.
• Acknowledge what is going on and engage in a dialogue about the pandemic.
• Understand and honour your emotions and the emotions of your mentor/mentee, including the range of reactions that may be expressed.
• Commit to self-care. Know that it is okay to take a break from the news and discussions about the virus as needed to manage anxiety or other responses to the situation.
Be in it together. Let your mentor/mentee know that you are in this together and are here to help.
Decide on clear boundaries and agreements about how you will connect with your mentor/mentee when meeting in-person and continue to follow the latest health guidelines and recommendations about where and how to gather.
Be communicative. Healthy and supportive relationships are crucial during this time.
• If current Covid-19 guidelines and instructions allow and you feel comfortable, continue to show up for them in person
• If in-person meetings must pause, follow the appropriate path: Let your mentor/mentee know you need to temporarily pause seeing them in person but are still there for them virtually. Create a plan with your mentor/mentee about how you will stay in touch while continuing to follow the appropriate guidelines.
Answering Children's COVID-19 questions
Are you unsure about how to explain COVID-19 to young patients or the children in your life?
Jazz from Royal Children's Hospital TV gave Dr Mike Starr, a paediatrician at the RCH, a call to find out some answers to questions your children might have.
Inside the mind of a master procrastinator
Are you a procrastinator? Then you will relate to this humorous Ted Talk with Tim Urban. Tim knows that procrastination doesn't make sense, but he's never been able to shake his habit of waiting until the last minute to get things done. In this hilarious and insightful talk, Urban takes us on a journey through YouTube binges, Wikipedia rabbit holes and bouts of staring out the window -- and encourages us to think harder about what we're really procrastinating on, before we run out of time.
Early Career Pharmacist Resource Hub
The Guild aims to equip early career pharmacists with the pathways, skills, tools and professional networks needed to be leaders in the primary health care system and owners of community pharmacies.
The ECP Resource Hub is where to find valuable information and resources relevant to you and your stage of career.
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For more information or to find out what is happening in your state, please contact your local Guild branch .