The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) is proud to announce the exceptional pharmacists recognised in tonight’s New South Wales Excellence Awards as part of the Annual Therapeutic Update taking place in Port Stephens.
The awards were presented by PSA immediate past President, Professor Peter Carroll MPS.
The NSW Pharmacist of the Year Award was presented to former PSA State Manager Simone Diamandis FPS, for her leadership throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and advocacy for the expansion of pharmacist administered vaccines.
As the NSW PSA State Manager, Ms Diamandis worked closely with pharmacists, Government, the health department and other key stakeholders to drive policy change and improvements for pharmacists to better support their communities. Her work has resulted in better health outcomes for residents of NSW.
Her advocacy and leadership had a direct impact on the expansion of pharmacist-administered vaccinations and state-wide funding for the influenza vaccine program in 2022. She has also been a strong advocate for regulatory change and improved access to medicines for NSW residents through the many extensions of the temporary emergency authority.
Simone successfully secured funding for many projects, including playing an integral role in attaining the critical North Coast PHN trial of pharmacists treating minor ailments. She also worked collaboratively with key stakeholders on many other projects including pharmacist administration of depot buprenorphine, piloting pharmacists screening for Hepatitis C, palliative care education for pharmacists and their staff, establishing mental health friendly pharmacists and supporting pharmacists with the rollout of RTPM.
The NSW Intern of the Year Award is Elizabeth Langdon, an intern pharmacist practising on the South Coast. She has been recognised for her work in implementing harm minimisation strategies in three pharmacies.
Ms Langdon drove the rollout of the Opioid Harm Minimisation Strategy and SafeScriptNSW in Priceline Pharmacy Shell Harbour, Amcal North Nowra, and Callala Bay Pharmacy. For the Take-Home Naloxone program she played a pivotal role educating patients on its benefits and teaching patients how to use the drug correctly.
Working across both high-volume and smaller consulting dispensing-based pharmacies, Elizabeth has always engaged positively with colleagues and prescribers, and is truly skilled in translating medical jargon into plain English for her patients.
Langdon has presented to a community walking group, educating them on the quality use of complementary medicines in osteoporosis and diabetes. The group found the information interesting and relevant and have since asked her to present and discuss other medical topics to further their health literacy.
The NSW Early Career Pharmacist of the Year was awarded to Dr Jack Collins MPS for his research at the University of Sydney School of Pharmacy, focussed on the role of community pharmacists in facilitating self-care.
Dr Jack Collins’ research has employed a number of research methods in his work to optimise the medicines management role of pharmacists, focusing on non-prescription medicines, and mental health services. He has drawn on his clinical experience as a community pharmacist, coupled with his excellent research skills, to use novel approaches, such as the use of simulated patient methods, intervention evaluation, and mixed methods designs, to optimise the medicines management role of pharmacists.
