Exceptional SA and NT pharmacists honoured
Tuesday 5 March 2019
Respected pharmacist Dr Danny Tsai received the SA/NT Pharmacist of the Year Award at the Annual Celebration of Excellence in Pharmacy hosted by the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) tonight.
Minister for Industry and Skills The Hon David Pisoni MP presented the award to Dr Tsai at Veale Gardens in Adelaide.
Veronika Seda won the SA/NT Early Career Pharmacist Development Award, while Karissa Searle was presented with the 2017 PSA Gold Medal and Wala Hamid Haj Ali with the 2018 Gold Medal.
PSA SA/NT President Robyn Johns congratulated Dr Tsai and commended his significant contribution to the safe and effective use of medicines in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and for improving clinical pharmacy services in Central Australia.
Dr Tsai is the inaugural Antimicrobial Stewardship pharmacist at the Alice Springs Hospital and his current research interests include investigating the demographics and bacteriology of severe community acquired pneumonia in Central Australia.
“Not only is Danny a terrific mentor for early career pharmacists, he also supports student placements in Alice Springs and contributes to ongoing education for health professionals working in remote areas,” said Ms Johns.
Ms Seda is the Chair of the SA/NT Early Career Working Group and a project pharmacist with the Adelaide Respiratory Health Project through Asthma Australia and the Lung Foundation.
PSA National President Dr Chris Freeman presented Ms Seda with the Early Career Pharmacist Development Award for raising practice standards and providing a model of practice for her fellow Early Career Pharmacists.
“Veronika has a passion for pharmacist communication and is currently a PhD candidate working on a sustainable model for professional services in community pharmacy,” Dr Freeman said.
Emeritus Professor Lloyd Sansom AO presented Ms Searle and Ms Ali with the PSA Gold Medal for achieving the highest grade point average in the Bachelor of Pharmacy at the University of South Australia.
Ms Searle is a pharmacy intern at Terry White Chemmart Golden Grove and recently started work at Angaston Pharmacy. Ms Ali is currently completing her internship at the Royal Adelaide Hospital.
PSA also named pharmacists Dr Jacinta Johnson and Dr Rose Allin Fellows of the Pharmaceutical Society (FPS) for achieving the highest level of Advanced Practice credentialing.
Emeritus Professor Andrew Gilbert was awarded PSA Life Fellowship and Mrs Heather Simpson Life Membership for their significant contributions to the profession.
Prof Gilbert’s research and consultancy work in medicines policy and health practice change are internationally respected.
Mrs Simpson worked at the Kings Park Pharmacy for 30 years, has locumed in rural SA and Western Victoria and dedicates a day a week towards Home Medicines Reviews.
Media contact:
Jarryd Luke
Senior Communications Officer
0487 922 176
