The AJP Podcast

By Australian Journal of PharmacyBusiness Medicine Health & Fitness Careers

The AJP Podcast episodes

June 17 Cough in pharmacy – Episode 4: Cough guidelines and pharmacy staff education
Episode 4: Dr Brett MacFarlane and Jala Moushi conclude this cough series with tips on cough treatment guidelines that pharmacists need to be aware of, and training for pharmacy staff in the many products and treatment options in the category
Cough in pharmacy: A practical guide
This is the fourth in a four-part series hosted by the AJP’s Fiona Duke, about the many aspects of cough and its various treatment methods. Fiona is joined by with two guest specialists: pharmacist, educator and medical writer Dr Brett MacFarlane and community pharmacist, educator and writer Jala Moushi.
Check out the other episodes in the series:
Episode 1: The cough journey
Episode 2: Helping patients choose cough products
Episode 3: Matching the product format to the cough patient profile
You can access the full transcript of this podcast here. While we endeavour to ensure all important words and phrases are correct, please note there may be some minor inaccuracies in the transcription.
ACCESS PODCAST TRANSCRIPT
Go here for the full list of active AJP podcasts. These can also be accessed via Apple Podcasts and Spotify

14 min
June 17 Cough in pharmacy – Episode 3: Matching the product format to the cough patient profile
Episode 3: Now we’re in pharmacy, in consultation with the patient. What should the pharmacist be mindful of in terms of the patient profile? Jala Moushi and Dr Brett MacFarlane discuss the different formats available for various patient profiles, from liquids through to tablets.
Cough in pharmacy: A practical guide
This is the third in a four-part series hosted by the AJP’s Fiona Duke, about the many aspects of cough and its various treatment methods. Fiona is joined by with two guest specialists: pharmacist, educator and medical writer Dr Brett MacFarlane and community pharmacist, educator and writer Jala Moushi.
Check out the other episodes in the series:
Episode 1: The cough journey
Episode 2: Helping patients choose cough products
Episode 4: Cough guidelines and pharmacy staff education
You can access the full transcript of this podcast here. While we endeavour to ensure all important words and phrases are correct, please note there may be some minor inaccuracies in the transcription.
ACCESS PODCAST TRANSCRIPT
Go here for the full list of active AJP podcasts. These can also be accessed via Apple Podcasts and Spotify

13 min
June 17 Cough in pharmacy – Episode 2: Helping patients choose cough products
Episode 2: In the large cough and cold category, how can pharmacists assist patients in this self-select market? And when assisting with a cough product choice, what are some important criteria the pharmacist needs to consider? Dr Brett MacFarlane and Jala Moushi continue the cough conversation
Cough in pharmacy: A practical guide
This is the second in a four-part series hosted by the AJP’s Fiona Duke, about the many aspects of cough and its various treatment methods. Fiona is joined by with two guest specialists: pharmacist, educator and medical writer Dr Brett MacFarlane and community pharmacist, educator and writer Jala Moushi.
Check out the other episodes in the series:
Episode 1: The cough journey
Episode 3: Matching the product format to the cough patient profile
Episode 4: Cough guidelines and pharmacy staff education
You can access the full transcript of this podcast here. While we endeavour to ensure all important words and phrases are correct, please note there may be some minor inaccuracies in the transcription.
ACCESS PODCAST TRANSCRIPT
Go here for the full list of active AJP podcasts. These can also be accessed via Apple Podcasts and Spotify

10 min
June 17 Cough in pharmacy – Episode 1: The cough journey
Episode 1: How many patients presenting with a common cold also have a cough? And how can pharmacy staff help patients differentiate between a dry or chesty cough? Jala Moushi and Dr Brett MacFarlane provide some insights
Cough in pharmacy: A practical guide
This is the first in a four-part series hosted by the AJP’s Fiona Duke, about the many aspects of cough and its various treatment methods. Fiona is joined by with two guest specialists: pharmacist, educator and medical writer Dr Brett MacFarlane and community pharmacist, educator and writer Jala Moushi.
Check out the other episodes in the series:
Episode 2: Helping patients choose cough products
Episode 3: Matching the product format to the cough patient profile
Episode 4: Cough guidelines and pharmacy staff education
You can access the full transcript of this podcast here. While we endeavour to ensure all important words and phrases are correct, please note there may be some minor inaccuracies in the transcription.
ACCESS PODCAST TRANSCRIPT
Go here for the full list of active AJP podcasts. These can also be accessed via Apple Podcasts and Spotify

11 min
June 03 A president’s journey
Former PSA national president, Associate Professor Fei Sim, reflects on the society’s evolution during her term, and looks to the future on the latest episode of our podcast
AJP Podcast host Carlene McMaugh sits down with the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia’s immediate past president, Associate Professor Fei Sim, to discuss her time at the helm, and what the future holds for the organisation.
Having broken through the glass ceiling to become the PSA’s first female leader, Sim led the society through a transformative period, securing a heads of agreement for the First Pharmacy Practice Agreement, and the acquisition of the Australasian College of Pharmacy.
Highlights include:
1min 28 – A presidency was based on teamwork
2.20 – Succession – Professor Mark Naunton is “the prefect leader… to take the PSA into the next chapter”
4.18 – Predecessors, Dr Chris Freeman and Dr Shane Jackson woke the giant that is the PSA
7.52 – Growing the PSA’s membership
8.54 – The acquisition of the Australasian College of Pharmacy
11.22 – The PSA needs to keep the momentum going to deliver on its strategic priorities
12.33 – Growing pains in the pharmacist/GP relationship
16.24 – Health professions need to support each other to work to the top of their scope of practice
19.56 – Translating leader diversity into better outcomes
22.56 – The First Pharmacy Practice Agreement
29.54 – Breaking the glass ceiling to become the first female president of the PSA
34.11 – Looking to the future in a new role with the AMH
38.32 – Addressing unfinished business.

You can access the full transcript of this podcast here. While we endeavour to ensure all important words and phrases are correct, please note there may be some minor inaccuracies in the transcription.
ACCESS PODCAST TRANSCRIPT
Go here for the full list of active AJP podcasts. These can also be accessed via Apple Podcasts and Spotify
Carlene McMaugh
42 min
May 20 ‘They become more and more sophisticated over time’
AJP Podcast host Carlene McMaugh discusses cybersecurity in 2026 – including why pharmacists need to consider themselves data stewards
She sits down with PSA’s digital health lead and pharmacist Jarrod McMaugh to discuss everything from why criminals target small businesses, how to tell the difference between a legitimate communication from a GP or wholesaler and a data theft attempt, and pharmacists’ obligations to their patients when it comes to privacy.
The two discuss why the greater amount of data now collected and shared could leave a “back door” open to cyber threats – and why you should never pay a ransom if you’ve been targeted.
Highlights include
01:03 – Why is community pharmacy a high-value target for cybercriminals?
02:52 – Protection and prevention
06:25 – The common weak links in pharmacy digital infrastructure
07:58 – Spot the difference: legitimate requests and data theft attempts
10:31 – Pharmacies’ responsibilities under the Australian Privacy Principle 11
13:28 – Legal and professional obligations if a breach occurs
20:34 – “Every health service in the country must have a policy around their access to My Health Records.”
23:33 – Privacy considerations around the Pharmacists Shared Medicines List
27:01 – The top three non-negotiable digital hygiene habits
28:53 – The role of software vendors
31:49 – How do shared records raise privacy and cyber threat concerns?
33:42 – The role of professional indemnity insurers
36:21 – The role of the PSA
You can access the full transcript of this podcast here. While we endeavour to ensure all important words and phrases are correct, please note there may be some minor inaccuracies in the transcription.
ACCESS PODCAST TRANSCRIPT
Go here for the full list of active AJP podcasts. These can also be accessed via Apple Podcasts and Spotify
Carlene McMaugh
38 min
May 06 Frontline workers critical to AI use in healthcare
Decisions around the adoption of AI in healthcare need input from those who will be using it, hospital pharmacist Ella Shearing says
AJP Podcast host Carlene McMaugh sits down with clinical pharmacist Ella Shearing, of Locumate, to discuss the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in pharmacy.
A survey conducted by Shearing at a Sydney hospital found pharmacists were receptive to using the new technology (2 minutes 30), but understanding of AI was mixed (3:26).
Shearing noted that while AI is already being used by pharmacists and other health practitioners for administrative tasks (7:03), decisions regarding how it is implemented need to take the views of frontline workers into account (16:13).
“Just because we can adopt AI tools doesn’t mean we should,” Shearing told McMaugh (17:12).
Highlights include:
3:35 – Environmental costs of AI not well understood
9:25 – Barriers to taking AI into the clinical space
10:41 – Lack of transparency around AI software fuels hesitancy among some pharmacists
13:16 – High costs mean AI is unlikely to replace existing drug interaction software
14:25 – Integrating AI into electronic medical record systems (EMRs) “could be quite useful”
21:15 – AI could be used to generate medication charts for patients to take home and for providing information about Webster pack changes with patients’ community pharmacies
22:15 – The best way to learn about AI is to use it
25:12: Development of guidelines and policies will be key to ensuring the safe and ethical use of AI in healthcare settings
26:14 – Pharmacists currently using AI are conservative about how they use it.
You can access the full transcript of this podcast here. While we endeavour to ensure all important words and phrases are correct, please note there may be some minor inaccuracies in the transcription.
ACCESS PODCAST TRANSCRIPT
Go here for the full list of active AJP podcasts. These can also be accessed via Apple Podcasts and Spotify
Carlene McMaugh
30 min
April 22 ‘Step fully into your role as a prevention leader’
Vaccination will always be the “inaugural proof point for full scope,” says “the Vaccination Pharmacist”
In this episode of the AJP Podcast, host Carlene McMaugh sits down with Anna Theophilos, who takes listeners through her journey into an educator on social media – and how to cut through misinformation about vaccines.
Discussing the importance of communicating about the risks of influenza, especially for people aged over 50, and RSV, Theophilos says that the public already know and trust pharmacists as vaccinators.
“What needs to shift is not necessarily public perception, but it’s the system’s willingness to formally recognise what pharmacists already are, which we are immunisation leaders,” she says – noting that this also means appropriate remuneration and a new look at vaccinating outside community pharmacies.
Highlights include
01:23 – Theophilos’ mission
02:10 – From a “very sad Facebook page” to effective social media communication
04:30 – Where Theophilos gets ideas for content
05:45 – “I actually think the public is already ahead of the system on this one.”
09:04 – How she plans to work with the PSA to advocate for legislative change to support pharmacist immunisers
10:10 – System and funding barriers
12:55 – Work in aged care
14:30 – How can a busy community pharmacy integrate high volume vaccination programs without compromising safety or staff wellbeing?
16:49 – Ensuring financial viability
19:38 – High-level discussions
21:40 – Collaborating with local GPs
26:07 – “Vaccination will always be the inaugural proof point for full scope.”
28:19 – Advice for ECPs
30:51 – The most common vaccine myth Theophilos debunks
32:32 – “I’d make every vaccine funded.”
33:27 – A call to action
You can access the full transcript of this podcast here. While we endeavour to ensure all important words and phrases are correct, please note there may be some minor inaccuracies in the transcription.
ACCESS PODCAST TRANSCRIPT
Go here for the full list of active AJP podcasts. These can also be accessed via Apple Podcasts and Spotify
Carlene McMaugh
35 min
April 08‘How do you approach those conversations?’
Do pharmacists have a bigger role to play recognising and supporting patients with mental health concerns? The AJP Podcast discusses the matter with Claire O’Reilly
Australia’s pharmacists have a frontline role in triaging patients who are struggling, but more training is needed across the profession, the AJP Podcast has heard.
Pharmacist and Associate Professor at the University of Sydney School of Pharmacy, Claire O’Reilly, has been a researching the evolving role of pharmacists in the mental health space for some time. She has become an advocate for further education and training.
“I think we do need to really work at improving the communication skills to make people feel comfortable,” she told Carlene McMaugh.
“If someone does say that they’re not okay, then what? That’s the critical next step.”
Other highlights include:
4.01: A distressing incident that highlighted the need for further education.
5.58: The importance of mental health training.
10.03: Signs or cues someone may be struggling.
15.00: Creating a safe, non-judgmental space.
19.19: Medications management.
21.32: Essential steps pharmacists can take.
23.02: Referral services.
26.00: How pharmacists can manage their own mental health and burnout.
Pharmacists can contact the Pharmacists’ Support Service (PSS) on 1300 244 910 for peer support related to the demands of being a pharmacist in Australia.
Lifeline is available on 13 11 14.
Members can call PDL on 1300 854 838 for support from a professional officer.
For urgent assistance or in an emergency please do not hesitate to contact emergency services on 000.
You can access the full transcript of this podcast here. While we endeavour to ensure all important words and phrases are correct, please note there may be some minor inaccuracies in the transcription.
ACCESS PODCAST TRANSCRIPT
Go here for the full list of active AJP podcasts. These can also be accessed via Apple Podcasts and Spotify
Carlene McMaugh
33 min
March 25 Scope legislation: pushing the government
“Legislation and practice aren’t necessarily keeping up with the universities,” says a leading pharmacy student, discussing the future of the sector
Sebastian Harper, national president at the National Australian Pharmacy Students’ Association (NAPSA), chats with AJP Podcast host Carlene McMaugh about scope of practice, the importance of making pharmacy friends and placement poverty.
Harper says that universities are already ahead of the game when it comes to expansion of pharmacy practice.
“I think things like legislation and practise aren’t necessarily keeping up with the universities,” he says.
“The unis are pretty much almost there with having graduates ready to get out there and adapt to the new scope of practice for pharmacists, but it’s the legislation, it’s the scope of practice programs.”
While some states are ahead of others, “some are falling a bit behind,” he warns.
“And it’s actually, I think, students that are really ready to undertake these services. Obviously, we do need that extra training, but compared to the pharmacists who graduated 20 years ago, not as much extra training and not as much extra knowledge and skill with what we’re learning.
“It’s really about the profession actually continuing to push the government, continuing to push each other to make sure that practise actually is adapting to what students are ready to do from graduation and from when they finish internship.”
Highlights include:
00:56 – Discussing placement poverty with decision-makers
02:45 – Talking to patients in full scope consultations
05:42 – Skill gaps between study and practice
07:21 – Stories from NAPSA Congress
09:14 – The surprise changes of 2025
11:00 – NAPSA goals
14:23 – “Students don’t necessarily realise the power that they have in their profession.”
17:28 – Core competencies needed for future success
21:29 – NAPSA’s long-term vision
25:32 – The most-needed skill in 2026
26:55 – A deeper look at placement poverty
29:21 – Key questions when interviewing for an internship
32:31 – Staying centred during internship
34:48 – “Get involved in NAPSA.”
You can access the full transcript of this podcast here. While we endeavour to ensure all important words and phrases are correct, please note there may be some minor inaccuracies in the transcription.
ACCESS PODCAST TRANSCRIPT
Go here for the full list of active AJP podcasts. These can also be accessed via Apple Podcasts and Spotify
Carlene McMaugh
39 min

About The AJP Podcast

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The podcast by pharmacists, for pharmacists, brought to you by the AJP. Each episode, join a diverse panel of pharmacists from all settings and experience levels discussing topics that affect…