From our CEO
Bronwyn Clark
Chief Executive OfficerHeading into the 2019-20 financial year our goal was to innovate and enhance all that we do. Little did we realise at the half-way mark we would need to pivot our strategy to respond effectively to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Our priority then became one of re-engineering our services without skipping a beat. It’s been a turbulent year. Despite this, we have made significant achievements, encouraged innovative ideas and strategies, and nurtured much-needed resilience.
Over Summer, we were incredibly heartened to see pharmacists band together under challenging circumstances to support people affected by the fires across New South Wales and by Canberra’s hazardous air quality.
Our hearts go out to all those who have lost loved ones during COVID-19. Our colleagues at APC are also very mindful of all the lives that are on hold, and a ‘shout out’ to all the pharmacists who haven’t stopped caring. We are incredibly thankful for all health care workers on the front line who have been running this marathon all year long.
Our gratitude also goes out to our education providers, who have adapted their programs and policies to ensure students and interns are able to continue to learn. The experience students and interns have received throughout the year is invaluable. But it has been a tough ride and we salute their resilience.
This period in time has shown us how well we can adapt to new environments and technologies. It’s given us opportunities to be innovative and build new futures.
Our organisation is agile and flexible. We have embraced change, and we have modified our processes within all our business units.
The phrase ‘business as usual’ is quite flippant now. We cannot fathom when and if we can ever go back to what we once considered a ‘normal business world’. But what we can achieve at APC is a re-defined ‘business as usual’ because we have the resilience and ability to adjust for a future business mode that’s different, safe and fitting for COVID-19.
We have worked hard in partnership with the Pharmacy Board of Australia to develop plans that nurture the pathways of future pharmacists in Australia. We have found new ways to deliver our exams that keep everyone safe. We have fast tracked overseas trained pharmacists to get them on the front line. And we are providing extensions to compensate for the time lost.
Highlights
Before the bush fires and COVID-19 we were collaborating, consulting, and achieving. Some highlights that stand out in particular:
Accreditation Standards
In September 2019 we received approval for the new Accreditation Standards for pharmacy education programs, confirmed by the Pharmacy Board of Australia. The standards came into force in January 2020.
I am proud of our staff in the way that they sought out views and listened to stakeholders during the consultation period. The final standards will prepare future pharmacists for their full scope of practice. More details are under our message from the Executive Director Professional Services.
Partnership with the Pharmacy Board of Australia
Our authority to perform accreditation functions within the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme comes from the Pharmacy Board. However, this relationship has now matured to a real partnership in which we collaborate on projects and innovations to enhance the quality of pharmacy education. This past year we have worked hand in hand on our Intern Year Blueprint and ensuring this years interns are not disadvantaged during a year of disruption. I’d like to thank Brett Simmonds for his leadership of the Board and his willingness to work so closely with us.
Intellectual Curiosity
We value intellectual curiosity here at APC. Each year we offer further education opportunities to pharmacists, students, and valued stakeholders through our events. We invited Associate Professor Faye McMillan to speak at our annual Emeritus Professor Lloyd Sansom AO Distinguished Lecture Series where she explored Yindyamarra (respect) your narrative. Faye moved the audience with her research on Indigenous health and systemic change through policy. This lecture is a piece of our intricate journey to reconciliation and improving health for First Nations Peoples.
Innovation during COVID-19
In response to COVID-19, we re-engineered our examinations and accreditation processes. This has allowed us to continue offering our services during this time. Our internal team, who have content and science expertise, have driven and designed these efforts. They have been guided by members of our profession on our advisory groups and committees. I am so proud of APC’s contribution to public health and the standard to which we do it. Our connection to the profession combined with our expertise in quality assurance and quality improvement is instrumental in providing high quality health care services.
Interprofessional Collaboration
In December 2019 I was very humbled to be re-elected for a second term as Chair of the Health Professions Accreditation Collaborative (HPAC) Forum. This is the coalition of the 15 accreditation authorities within the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme. The Forum is seen as the go-to body for accreditation by stakeholders including:
- Australian Health Practitioner Regulatory Agency (Ahpra)
- Universities Australia, and in particular their Health Professions Education Standing Committee (HPESG)
- Tertiary Education Quality Standards Authority (TEQSA)
- Commonwealth and State Education and Health Departments
- Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Healthcare
- other national agencies
I am very proud of our work together, which is achieved by true collaboration. This includes our report on Interprofessional Education, which has been led by APC. Enabling collaborative practice in the real world starts with ensuring health profession students learn about, from and with each other during their training.
National and International Collaboration
As well as working with other professions, we have continued collaborating with national and international pharmacy organisations who share our goal of protecting public health.
We’ve had opportunities to work on initiatives with:
- the Council of Pharmacy Schools (Australia and New Zealand)
- the National Australian Pharmacy Students Association (NAPSA)
- the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP), and
- our colleagues in accreditation and examinations in the USA and Canada
I was recently appointed Global Lead for Quality Assurance in the International FIP Education Workforce Development Hub. These connections allow us to lead initiatives internationally. It ensures that our standards and processes are consistent and contemporary, and that we are delivering high quality education that protects all Australians across the health system.
Finally, I want to thank my dedicated team at APC. We owe these significant achievements and our ability to flex and adjust, to them. We also thank our valued stakeholders, and the APC Board who have guided us in each step.
COVID-19 has disrupted our lives. But it has compelled our organisation to find new ways of ensuring quality in pharmacy education for our communities.