Joseph Foster has been named the PSA MIMS Western Australian Intern of the Year Award winner at the WA Excellence Awards, hosted by the peak pharmacist organization, the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA).
The WA Excellence Awards, held in Perth last Sunday March 13, also highlighted the WA Young Pharmacist of the Year, WA Pharmacist of the Year and WA Life Time Achievement Award.
The prestigious Intern of the Year Award acknowledges the achievements of exceptional pharmacist interns in developing skills for their professional career. Interns are recognised for striving to raise standards to provide a future model for the practice of pharmacy, before being fully-registered.
Mr Foster completed his internship at Brooks Garden Chemmart Pharmacy in Albany. He demonstrated an outstanding commitment to patient care and community engagement. Joseph has also driven community engagement in his local region.
PSA WA Branch President Teresa Di Franco, who presented the Award, applauded the achievements of the Intern of the Year WA winner, saying Mr Foster demonstrated an outstanding commitment to pharmacy.
“Mr Foster identified an opportunity to improve the effectiveness of communication and referral processes between pharmacists, patients and other health professionals. This drove him to build a business plan and develop a website to improve the referral channel between a pharmacist and a doctor, as well as other health professionals,” Ms Di Franco said.
MIMS Business Development Manager Dinah Graham congratulated WA Intern of the Year winner. “MIMS is delighted to once again be involved in this exciting Award that recognises the future leaders of the pharmacy professional in Australia,” Ms Graham said.
The PSA MIMS Intern of the Year, who will be chosen from the State/Territory finalists, will be announced at PSA16 conference in Sydney from July 29-31. The Award will go to the finalist deemed to have created the most significant innovation during the year.
MIMS Australia has been publishing medicines information since 1963 and is the leading supplier of trusted, quality, independent medicine information to Australian healthcare professionals, known for its high level of editorial integrity and independence.
MIMS Australia offers a range of digital products that reflect current advances in information delivery; from hand held devices to online to integrating databases into clinical and dispensing software applications. MIMS also continues to offer the printed reference products that have supported health care professionals for over 50 years.
PSA WA Branch Vice President Russell Hill said the WA Excellence Awards celebrated the best and brightest pharmacists in the State.
“The quality of candidates for the WA Excellence Awards was exceptional this year and judges remarked on just how difficult their task was,” Mr Hill said.
The three major winners of WA Excellence Awards included:
> WA Pharmacist of the Year: Noel Fosbery
Noel Fosbery’s primary focus in delivery high quality pharmacy services is the health and wellbeing of his community. As the proprietor of two community pharmacies, Noel established clinical services to ensure his pharmacies are considered health destinations.
> WA Young Pharmacist of the Year: Teresa Di Franco
Teresa Di Franco combined her pharmacy experience, particularly in medication management and patient care, with her experience as a Credentialed Diabetes Educator to become a passionate advocate for patient care and leader for her profession.
> WA Life Time Achievement Award: Jeffery Leach
Jeffery Leach has worked tirelessly to promote the pharmacy profession and has focused on the continual innovation required to keep pharmacy at the cutting edge.
Over the past 50 years, Jeff has continued to recognise the need to innovate and evolved his stores and the Friendlies Group to meet the challenges faced by the profession and ensure the delivery of necessary services to the community.
Media contact: Stefanie Johnston
PSA WA Branch Director
0417 910 738
March 15, 2016
