Fred J Boyd 2007 Award - jppr

and dispensing within the electronic environment? We need
to be careful that some of the gains we have made in the
paper world are reflected in the electronic world at the same
time realising that it is a different paradigm and that making
an electronic system mimic every current business practice is
not always the answer. Even in the last seven days we have
made a number of changes based on the experience of the
users as theory and practice can be quite different.
A systems approach requires analysis. Lucian Leape
groups systems failures into design failures, i.e. design of the
process, task or equipment and organisational failures related
to conditions in the workplace, team building and training. 1
What could be described as an excellent pharmacy service
today will not fulfil the needs in 10 years time. To take
pharmacy into the future we need to constantly look at ways
of improving. This may involve changes to education, teaching
and systems design. We can do this by:
collecting and analysing data (from literature, conferences,
our own data);
disseminating information (via newsletters, the Journal,
presentations within and outside the hospital);
educating (doctors, nurses and patients through a variety
of techniques);
collaborating (within the hospital and outside in groups
such as NSW TAG, and SHPA);
conducting research (whether it is practice based or
medication therapy based); and
not settling for the status quo and embracing change
opportunities.
Australian Clinical Pharmacy Award Oration
Neil Cottrell
I would like to start by thanking George Taylor, Peter Fowler
and their colleagues in the Tasmanian Branch of the SHPA
who nominated me for this award. It was a great honour for
me when I was approached by them. I would also like to
thank the Federal Council who chose me to receive the Clinical
Pharmacy Award for 2007. I have to confess that when Sue
Kirsa informed me that I was to receive the award I was
speechless. I felt then and still do feel very honoured and
extremely humbled that my peers had thought me worthy to
receive the Clinical Pharmacy Award. The bubble burst
somewhat when Sue then kindly reminded me that I had been
practising as a pharmacist for 25 years and that immediately
brought me back to earth and I felt a lot older.
I then realised that I would be giving an oration here at
the Federal Conference where there would be an expectation
that I would pass on words of wisdom about clinical
pharmacy. I reflected on the previous recipients of this award
and felt extremely nervous about what I had to offer in this
context. Although I stand in front of an audience most days in
my current role as a senior lecturer it is usually with
PowerPoint as a prop in front of me not a written script. I tell
my students that I don’t have a script with PowerPoint I make
it up as I go along. Well not today.
Neil Cottrell, BScPharm(Hons), MScPharm, PhD Candidate, Senior Lecturer,
School of Pharmacy, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland
Address for correspondence: Neil Cottrell, School of Pharmacy, The
University of Queensland, St Lucia Qld 4072, Australia
E-mail: n.cottrell@uq.edu.au
You do not have to be a director of pharmacy to make
systems changes and practice changes. At every level of
practice whether we are pharmacists or technicians
improvement should be a driver.
Activities such as I have outlined are not one man projects
and I have been very lucky to work with many wonderful
people to help me over the years. I wish to acknowledge my
staff, and the many wonderful pharmacists, technicians and
other people I have come to know through work or SHPA
activities. Special acknowledgement must go to Johneen
Tierney, Karen Kaye, Liz Perks and Terry Maunsell who has
been a mentor, a colleague and a friend. Finally, I need to
acknowledge the support of my mother and father, brothers,
sister and their families including my nephew and nieces where
I am not seen as a pharmacist or an SHPA member but as
Auntie Rosemary.
I have tried to combine the two themes of quality use of
medicines and medication safety in a constantly changing
environment. We need to be aware of the changing
environment in which we work and adjust our processes, our
emphasis and activities to it. As William A Foster said, ‘Quality
is never an accident, it is always the result of high intention,
sincere effort, intelligent directions and skilful execution. It
represents the wise choice of many alternatives’.
Reference
1. Leape L. A systems analysis approach to medical error. In: Cohen M, editor.
Medication errors. Washington DC: American Pharmaceutical Association; 1999.
Rosemary Burke delivered her oration on 11 November
2007 at the 28th SHPA Federal Conference in Sydney.
I thought that I would share some insights that I have
gained in moving over to the university. I see my new role as
one that tries to enrich, engage and instil into the students all
about the marvellous profession and career that they are going
to embark upon.
But in sharing those insights with you I need to go back
in time first. I am sure that you can all remember your first
day as a pre-registration graduate and maybe even your first
day on the wards. I can remember mine. Just take a moment
to reflect back (I know some of you like me may find that a
bit harder to do). That feeling of total inadequacy where I
hoped no one would speak to me or even worse ask me a
question. Nothing I seemed to have done at university could
be remembered or had prepared me for the ward environment
in a busy hospital. Yes hospitals were busy even in my day.
However, I was incredibly fortunate to have some wonderful
pharmacists around me who became mentors, role models
and eventually colleagues. It was their patience,
encouragement, nurturing and unselfish sharing of their
knowledge that allowed me to grow as a clinical pharmacist,
a professional and importantly as a person. In the UK, I would
like to pay tribute to Geoff Bourne, Ray Fitzpatrick, Judy
Cantrill and Jonathon Cooke (the last three of whom
eventually became professors), I am forever indebted to them.
But it didn’t stop there and when I traversed the world I was
fortunate to meet the likes of Jeff Hughes, Chris Alderman,
Deborah Rowett and of course I could not do this oration
without mentioning my partner in crime, Ian Coombes, true
role models for me still to aspire to.
Journal of Pharmacy Practice and Research Volume 37, No. 4, 2007 319