News and Events
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Pharmacy academic named Chair of Federal Government Committee
Professor of Pharmacy (Aged Care) Andrew McLachlan has been appointed chair of the Federal Government’s National Medicines Policy Committee. The National Medicines Policy committee is part of the Federal Government’s new advisory structure to support National Medicines Policy, which since 1999 has provided a framework for medication access, safety and quality in Australia. The National Medicines Policy Committee will provide advice on emerging medicines policy issues. It will also undertake, oversee or consider projects and research.
It will feed into the National Medicines Policy Executive which will advise the Government on implementing the National Medicines Policy within the Health portfolio. Professor McLachlan will provide expertise in the area of pharmacy and be joined on the committee by experts in the fields of clinical practice, nursing, medicines manufacture and marketing, complementary medicines and prescribing. For more details of Professor McLachlan’s research click here.
Professor McLachlan is available for comment on 02 9351 2360 or 02 9767 7373.
February 2008
Pharmacy Team design new management program for asthma sufferers
A team of Faculty researchers has designed a new management program for asthma sufferers. Research over the last 8 years has resulted in a new management model for people with asthma, which is effective in producing positive outcomes and health benefits for asthma sufferers.
Professor Carol Armour is the Lead Investigator on this research project and heads the team* of researchers that has designed the new asthma-management program. The team has also developed a 2-day training program for pharmacists who will be helping in the management of people with asthma. Professor Armour says “it is vitally important to improve the treatment and support of asthma sufferers in Australia. Currently about 10% of the population are diagnosed with this disease so ensuring the treatment they receive is effective and relevant is vital”.
Research published by the asthma team showed that a randomised controlled trial of a pharmacy-based intervention resulted in better health outcomes for asthma sufferers. This new model includes a test of lung function, medication checks, asthma inhaler technique and trigger factors. In addition people with asthma are asked to assess how well they use their medication and to set goals to achieve before their next review with the pharmacist.
The new program also helps to put asthma sufferers back in touch with their doctor. Professor Armour says “we find that in most cases asthma sufferers do not seek out their GP to review their asthma symptoms or medication. Now pharmacists are able to provide a link between the two when people with asthma visit the pharmacy for their medicine. Pharmacists are able to talk to an asthma sufferer about their medication and can refer “at risk” people, whose medication is not working effectively for them, back to their GPs for a full review”.
*The team includes Drs Bandana Saini, Sinthia Bosnic-Anticevich and Lorraine Smith, Associate Professor Ines Krass, Chehani Alles and Kate LeMay. The team is working with collaborators at the University of Queensland, Monash and Charles Sturt Universities.
February 2008
Teaching Improvement and Equipment Scheme grant success
Faculty academics have been successful in gaining grants to enhance teaching, processes and equipment in the Faculty
$4,500 for ‘PBL modules to enhance learning and teaching in Pharmacy Practice’.
Dr Kylie Williams and Jim Woulfe
$4,500 for ‘improving feedback to students: development and trial of automated, personalised feedback system for pharmacy students’.
Greg Ryan and Jim Woulfe, Pharmacy Education Unit
$3,700 for ‘optimising student outcomes using peer assessment in Problem-Based Learning tutorials’.
Dr Vicky Kritikos
$3,600 for ‘Mental Health First Aid for Pharmacy Students’.
Dr Tim Chen
$3,700 for ‘Enhancing the Role of Preceptors in Experiential Learning and Teaching’.
Dr Betty Chaar
February 2008
APSA awards Elle 1st prize for the best Pharmacy Practice presentation
PhD student, Elle Feletto, was awarded 1st prize for the best oral Pharmacy Practice presentation at the recent Australasian Pharmaceutical Science Association (APSA) conference in Canberra. Elle’s talk, entitled ‘A qualitative investigation of organisational flexibility in Australian community pharmacies’, discussed how Australian community pharmacies optimise their business viability in a changing external environment.
Elle who is supervised by Professor Charlie Benrimoj is specifically looking at the provision of professional pharmacy services and community pharmacy’s ability to adapt their businesses to integrate services into their daily practice through organisation flexibility. The research thus far has involved 30 interviews with pharmacists across Australia and has shown that there is a predisposition to making structural and operational changes but not cohesion with the overall direction of their business model.
The key to enhancing strategic flexibility in pharmacies was evident where product and service provision was well integrated. Elle say “I found the APSA 2008 conference an excellent opportunity to learn about research being conducted around Australia and discuss my work with inter-state colleagues. The positive response to my research was almost overwhelming. I am constantly encouraged by the support from other pharmacy researchers and pharmacy practitioners that I receive, especially at a conference like APSA”.
January 2009
Applications now open for Faculty of Pharmacy PhD Scholarships
Dr Alaina Ammit, Associate Dean for Research and Innovation, has announced that applications for the Faculty of Pharmacy PhD Scholarships (FPPS) are now open.
FPPS are available on a highly competitive basis for local students commencing a full-time PhD at the Faculty of Pharmacy in Semester 1, 2009. Applicants must be Australian or New Zealand citizens or an Australian permanent resident by the scholarship closing date (20 February 2009). Applicants must have completed a Bachelor Degree with First Class Honours (or H1 equivalent results) or have completed a four-year degree with an outstanding record of professional and/or research achievements since graduation.
Click here for Conditions of Award, Guidelines and Application Forms.
Note: Applicants for APA/UPA in the round that closed on 31st October 2008 will automatically be considered for the FPPS.
In the future, the Faculty of Pharmacy will offer these scholarships automatically upon application through University of Sydney Research Office for the annual VCRS/APA/UPA scholarship round (next round closes in October 2009).
January 2009