PSA24: Victorian researcher awarded top pharmacy honour
2 August 2024
The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) has today named researcher and Melbourne-based pharmacist Dr Amy Page as the national PSA Symbion Pharmacist of the Year.
Presented by National President Associate Professor Fei Sim at PSA’s national conference in Sydney, Dr Page was acknowledged for her extensive work with pharmacists, students and other healthcare professionals.
Dr Amy Page is the President of PSA’s Victorian branch, a leading pharmacy researcher, academic and practising pharmacist. She is driven by her dedication to elevating pharmacy practice both nationally and internationally for a sustained impact on practice and medicines safety to improve the wellbeing of all Australians.
In 2018, Dr Page led work with the Pharmacy Board of Australia and the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency to investigate the regulatory environment for pharmacist prescribing, resulting in a statement that confirmed the ability for pharmacists to prescribe within current regulation. This work has directly resulted in pharmacist prescribing pilots for urinary tract infections, oral contraception, skin conditions and travel health – improving the accessibility of care to millions of Australians.
Through her role as a Senior Lecturer at the University of Western Australia Dr Page is also passing on her passion and dedication to the next generation of pharmacists.
Dr Page contributes nationally to advancing pharmacy practice through her involvement in research, policy and regulation. She has brought about significant and lasting change in pharmacist prescribing and pharmacy practice standards through her research and her sustained engagement with professional organisations and regulators. Amy is established as a world leader in her research field of medicines safety and pharmacy practice. She’s been invited to give presentations internationally, including in China and the United Kingdom.
Her research has been used to justify policy changes (such as the National Aged Care Quality Indicators) and to assess the impact of policy change (e.g. polypharmacy prevalence). Her work has influenced guideline development internationally and beyond her field including being recommended by NPS MedicineWise, the British Geriatric Society and the New Zealand Safety and Quality Commission.
Beyond the pharmacy profession, Dr Page has also progressed non-medical prescribing within other disciplines nationally. As a leading Australian expert, she continues to work with the Physiotherapy Board and Optometry Australia on their journeys toward prescribing.
Dr Page has achieved this while continuing to practice clinically, currently working both in community pharmacy and undertaking medicines reviews.
PSA National President Associate Professor Fei Sim congratulated Dr Page, saying: “PSA is proud to name Dr Amy Page as Pharmacist of the Year, recognising not only her clinical leadership but also her commitment to raising the profile of the profession.”
“Dr Page has dedicated her career to leading our profession, whether in her role as a Senior Lecturer at the University of Western Australia, as the inaugural Director of the Centre for Optimisation of Medicines, or serving as part of the Pharmacy Board of Australia.
“Dr Page is a deserving recipient of the 2024 Pharmacist of the Year title, embodying what it means to be a pharmacist every day of her career to date.
“On behalf of the pharmacy profession, I congratulate Dr Page on being named the 2024 PSA Symbion Pharmacist of the Year.”
Media contact: Georgia Clarke M: 0480 099 798 E: georgia.clarke@psa.org.au
