The importance of pharmacy assistants to the pharmacy profession is being recognized
in special weekend presentations for assistants at the Pharmacy Australia Congress in
Sydney this year.

Pharmacy assistants outnumber pharmacists by a ratio of more than five-to-one and it is
estimated there are currently more than 27,000 pharmacy assistants working across the
nation.

The President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia, Warwick Plunkett, said the
value and importance that pharmacy assistants played could not be over-stated.

“These assistants are often the first person that a consumer meets when they come into
a pharmacy to ask for advice,” Mr Plunkett said.
“Their role is a critical part of the profession of pharmacy and their knowledge and skills
are essential to the health and wellbeing of Australians.

“In recognition of this, PAC is running two mornings of presentations developed
specifically for pharmacy assistants.”

The PAC09 Pharmacy Assistants Program runs from 9.30am on both Saturday 17
October and Sunday 18 October.

Topics to be covered include:

- coping with the complexities of quit smoking strategies
- selling sun protection for the fashion conscious customer
- increasing confidence in the baby care business
- effective over the counter treatments for urinary tract infections
- winning the battle against brittle bones
- hayfever - how to help with the very latest treatments.

As an added incentive for pharmacy assistants, the presentations are free of charge if
the pharmacy assistant is a staff member of full delegates to PAC.

The presentations are among the highlights of PAC09, the pre-eminent pharmacy event
of the year being held at the Sydney Hilton from 15-18 October under the primary theme
of Securing Your Practice Advantage.

Full details of PAC and the Pharmacy Assistants Program can be found at
http://www.pac2009.com.au.

Source
Pharmaceutical Society of Australia

The pharmacy profession’s most prestigious and sought-after awards, the
Pharmaceutical Society of Australia Awards for Excellence, will be announced at the
Pharmacy Congress Australia being held at the Sydney Hilton from 15-18 October.

The PSA’s Pharmacist of the Year, Young Pharmacist of the Year and Lifetime
Achievement Awards are the profession’s pinnacles of achievement and are held in the
highest esteem both within and outside the profession. These will be announced on
Friday 16 October.

In addition, the PSA’s Pharmacy Student of the Year will be announced at the gala
dinner on Saturday 17 October.

The President of the PSA, Warwick Plunkett, said the awards were very significant for
the profession and Pharmacist of the Year and Young Pharmacist Awards recognized
the special individual contributions to the professional advancement of pharmacy.

“These awards are for achievements in 2009 while the Lifetime Achievement Award
recognises an individual’s contribution over a much greater period of time,” he said.
“These awards are a very concrete recognition of the extremely high standards that the
profession maintains in Australia, and of the efforts by individuals to maintain and
improve on those standards.
“They also give recipients a special standing and status among their many peers
throughout the pharmacy profession, as well as among other health professionals
across the country.
“They reflect the commitment and dedication the recipients have shown to their
profession in 2009.”

Mr Plunkett said the PSA held the annual awards to recognise individual achievement
and the important contribution that the pharmacy profession makes to the whole of
Australian society.

“These awards acknowledge the achievers of the profession. They acknowledge those
involved in innovative practice; those lifting practice standards; and pharmacists who
present a model of service and advice for others to follow,” he said.

Mr Plunkett said the awards were made possible through the sponsorship of Symbion
Pharmacy Services, whose retail brands include Chemmart, and Terry White Chemists.

Source
Pharmaceutical Society of Australia