The Guild Dispensary

The COVID-19 vaccine rollout, approaching its fifth month in community pharmacy, has presented challenges and great opportunities for community pharmacy. 

Natalie Willis, WA Pharmacy owner and Guild National Councillor spends some time with us discussing her experience being involved in the vaccine rollout and the impact on the scope of pharmacy practice.

We also hear from Gerard Benedet, Queensland Branch Director and Campaign Director for the national COVID PR campaign as he shares the key takeaways of consumer research conducted to inform the Guild’s campaign to achieve high numbers of Australians being vaccinated against COVID-19 through participating pharmacies, and his insights into what is planned next for the rollout.

The Pharmacy Guild’s work in relation to pharmacy’s role in the COVID-19 vaccine rollout exemplifies their mission - to serve the needs and preferences of patients and health consumers across Australia using pharmacy’s unique role in medication management and safety. A vibrant, dynamic and commercial community pharmacy network is essential for the health and well-being of all Australians.

If you would like to learn more, simply visit the PGA website to view all the latest COVID-19 vaccination resources at guild.org.au

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We know the role pharmacies play in our community but there are a lot of other local organisations that also play important roles in our communities; whether those be schools, sporting clubs, or other community activity or support groups.

These groups are often running engaging programs in our communities and, as such, attract strong memberships and loyal audiences. They are also often looking for funding to help support their endeavours.

This provides a great opportunity for community pharmacies to sponsor these organisations which provide wins for all involved.

However, if you are considering sponsorship, or maybe you already use sponsorship, a well-thought-out approach, aligned to what you are trying to achieve as a pharmacy business, is crucial to success.

Mark Thompson, from consultancy Sports Rights Tech, and someone with a long history of working in sponsorship, across organisations like Brumbies Rugby and St Vincent de Paul, as well as being a co-founder of the world’s first sponsorship management software company, SponServe, joins us to discuss how pharmacies can best utilise sponsorships as part of their marketing and business objectives.

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At times, owning and running a pharmacy business can be overwhelmingly challenging.

Seeking the assistance of a pharmacy lawyer is critical to your success as a pharmacy owner. Not only can a lawyer assist you to navigate through the complexities of business ownership; an experienced pharmacy lawyer can also support you through any conflicts or incidents that may arise. Consulting a suitably experienced pharmacy lawyer at an early stage can often prevent the kinds of issues and disputes which may adversely affect the value of your business later on.

Principal, Georgina Odell, from Meridian Lawyers spends some time with us discussing why, through the various stages of pharmacy ownership, it is useful to have a legal expert engaged to provide insights and support, help you to manage risks, and offer sound advice.

The Pharmacy Guild is dedicated to supporting your business and together with Meridian can provide legal support and advice regarding buying and selling a pharmacy, rent, partnerships, mediation and dispute resolution, ownership regulation, new pharmacy approvals, and other business operations. For more information go to www.guild.org.au/resources/business-operations and www.meridianlawyers.com.au/health-sector/pharmacy/

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The mission of the Pharmacy Guild of Australia is to enable community pharmacy to serve the needs and preferences of patients and health consumers across Australia using pharmacy’s unique role in medication management and safety.

The Guild’s focus areas, based on strategies, outcomes and measures are Member services and engagement, Advocacy, Community Pharmacy Sustainability, and Governance

There is a Guild branch in each state and territory to provide members with tailored support for business operations, workforce, training, and advocacy. The branch staff delivers Guild initiatives through member pharmacies, maximising member value, and strengthening community pharmacy as a pillar of health care across Australia.

Today we speak with Monique Mackrill, Tasmanian Branch Director, about the work that the Guild is doing at the coal face and what opportunities are available to community pharmacies

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The National Australian Pharmacy Students' Association (NAPSA) represents students from 18 universities nationwide studying either an undergraduate or postgraduate pharmacy  program. 

NAPSA is committed to advocating for Australian pharmacy students to ensure their future is prosperous and their status, rights, and privileges are protected. 

In this episode, we speak with Verity Boustead, newly elected president and 4th year Monash University student, about her experiences in the new role and life as a student during a global pandemic

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The Council of Small Business Australia (COSBOA) is the country’s peak body exclusively representing the interests of small businesses. 

In this episode, we speak with newly appointed COSBOA CEO, Alexi Boyd, about the important advocacy work of COSBOA, the impacts of COVID on small business, and the way forward to reopening and rebuilding the economy.

The Pharmacy Guild of Australia is a proud member of COSBOA and actively participates to ensure the voice of community pharmacy business is heard and counted. 

To learn more about COSBOA, visit cosboa.org.au and for more information on how the Guild supports you and your business visit guild.org.au/membership

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Community pharmacies are the most accessible health destination in Australia and therefore are often the first place patients go when they need help to maintain their health, mental health, and wellbeing.

The Covid – 19 pandemic has highlighted just how important community pharmacies are in providing care, advice, and health services, however, frontline health provision can bring about heightened levels of pressure for pharmacy staff.  

Today, we speak with Christine Morgan, CEO of the National Mental Health Commission and National Suicide Prevention Adviser to Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

We discuss why it is vitally important that community pharmacies establish and sustain a mentally healthy workplace and ways in which pharmacists can manage their own mental health and support the mental health and wellbeing of colleagues.

There are some great resources available to help you establish and maintain a mentally healthy workplace. The National Mental Health Commission Mentally Healthy Workplace guides have been created by experts to provide practical tips and advice on helping employers and employees look out for the signs that someone may need support, and assist them to find help when they need it. The guides can be found at www.mentalhealthcommission.gov.au 

The Pharmacist Support Service (PSS) provides a listening ear over the telephone to pharmacists and pharmacy interns and students. In supporting pharmacists, PSS aims to benefit the public by ensuring that pharmacists maintain their health and well-being and so are able to provide an appropriate level of service to the Australian community. You can visit their website at www.supportforpharmacists.org.au

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The intern journey can be a daunting prospect but with the right attitude, preceptor and program, the intern year can be rewarding not only for the intern, but also the preceptor, patients, and the pharmacy business.

In this episode, we hear from Angus Koertz, MIMS/Guild 2020 Intern of the Year and his preceptor Tim Stewart, who was in fact the 2017 winner of the MIMS/Guild Intern of the Year, on their experiences through the intern journey.

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The rollout of electronic prescriptions is a once-in-a-generation change to community pharmacy and has changed the way we interact with our customers. The first electronic prescription token was dispensed just over a year ago, and there have now been over 7 million tokens transmitted.

The next phase in the rollout of electronic prescriptions is the ability for patients to have their electronic prescriptions dispensed at the pharmacy of their choice without having to present a token. This is known as the Active Script List and today, we welcome two guests to the show to discuss this new capability both from a rollout point of view and an implementation view, from within a pharmacy.

Andrew Robinson is a pharmacist and proprietor of two Melbourne pharmacies while Brad McCulloch is from the Australian Digital Health Agency, working in the Medicines Safety Program within the Digital Programs and Engagement Division.

For further information about electronic prescriptions, you can head to the Australian Digital Health Agency website at digitalhealth.gov.au, as well as the Pharmacy Guild of Australia’s Electronic Prescription Hub at guild.org.au/resources/automation/digital-health/digitalhealth.

There are also more training opportunities on GuildEd for both pharmacists and pharmacy assistants. Simply visit www.guilded.guild.org.au for more information.

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Asking better questions creates stronger professional and personal relationships resulting in more empowerment, engagement, motivation, and better outcomes for everyone. 

As such, Lindsay Tighe and Tina Dolphin, from the organisation Better Questions, join us to talk about transforming our communication.

We discuss how to improve your communication skills including what makes a better question, how to avoid telling, and the importance of listening.

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