From our CEO

This time last year we could see the pinnacle of the COVID-19 pandemic. We had successfully re-engineered our activities to ensure the pipeline of quality pharmacists could be maintained for 2020. However, as the pandemic continued, we understood that our responsiveness would need to be ongoing, and that our temporary work would be enduring.

When I reflect on the past 12 months at APC, the theme of “putting them first” shines through. All our work and priorities reflect our purpose of advancing and assuring quality in pharmacy education, but with the lens of supporting those we serve at the heart.

We adapted services throughout all business areas to support our students, interns, pharmacists, education providers and internal staff. From uncertainty around studies and clinical placements, to burn-out within community and hospital pharmacies, our imperative was to make sure that we could enhance their progression and development of skills during difficult times.

To ensure the safety of our candidates, we re-designed our exams, moving them to a remote delivery. We supported our education partners who were under resource constraints for extended periods, and we adapted our requirements for vaccination standards to allow some online training delivery. This contributed to the capacity of the COVID-19 vaccination effort from pharmacy. After a year that has challenged the mental health of pharmacists, we partnered with the Pharmacists’ Support Service to assist those on the front line with support.

We’ve done this, whilst maintaining compliance and standards. We are committed to implementing the recommendations of the Independent Review of Accreditation Systems within the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme for Health Professions Final Report. We have made considerable progress towards transparency and accountability of our accreditation activities prior to, and since, the Final Report’s release. We demonstrated this by our 100% compliance this year with the Key Performance Indicators in our contractual agreement with Ahpra.

In February 2021, a policy directive was delivered that directed Ahpra to establish an Independent Accreditation Committee. This will bring together a wide range of stakeholders who will give expert advice on strategic accreditation issues and the future of accreditation. The committee’s areas of work reflect Health Ministers’ response to the Independent Review of Accreditation Systems Final Report. Supporting the future health workforce and strengthening accreditation systems is a key priority. We look forward to working with the new committee.

I have been privileged to lead the Health Professions Accreditation Collaborative (HPAC) Forum as Chair for the past 3 ½ years. As Forum Chair I was able to represent all 15 accreditation authorities with external stakeholders, including Universities Australia, Commonwealth Health and Education departments, Ahpra and National Boards. I finish this role in July this year, and thank all my colleagues across the professions who have supported me and who I have had the pleasure of learning from.

Whilst we continued delivering our services, we launched some exciting projects. Our continued partnership with the Pharmacy Board of Australia has assisted us to develop new projects, including our Workplace based Assessment (WPA) Tools for intern pharmacists. We have progressed our REFLECT Reconciliation Action Plan, which has now been submitted to Reconciliation Australia, and will launch later in 2021.

We’ve cemented our partnership with our First Nations’ pharmacists and colleagues this year, collaborating with our Indigenous Health Strategy Group to progress embedding cultural safety in pharmacy programs. We also welcomed new members to this wholly Indigenous group of leaders, and it is humbling to work with each of them.

The wellbeing of our team is a priority for us, and in early 2021 we undertook a refurbishment of our offices in Canberra to ensure social distancing and a COVID-safe environment. We introduced a wellbeing allowance for all team members, and our regular online catch ups were maintained during our Work from Home periods. Our staff retention has remained high over this period, and the team support for each other is humbling. Despite this we have been preparing for the upcoming retirement of my Executive Officer Jeanne Edwards, after 6 years with us. Jeanne has been my right-hand woman, and has supported me, our Board and our Indigenous Health Strategy Group as well as being a wonderful colleague to all our team. I know she sees her leading of our Reconciliation Action Plan as a highlight, and I would like to thank her for her wonderful collegiality and commitment to APC.

We could not do what we do without robust governance, and our APC Board gives us just that. I am very grateful to the direction and guidance they provide, and in particular thank Sue Kirsa, our Chair, for her fantastic support and leadership.

I am proud to be part of an organisation like APC that is so agile and flexible. Our team have embraced change, and used their smarts to re-define ‘business as usual’ and shown great initiative. They are committed to our values of respect, fairness, transparency, creativity, support and life long learning. I am very grateful to each and everyone one of them.