Pharmacy Business & Career Network Podcast

Wizard Pharmacy Kalgoorlie Central has been on a journey of transformation in recent years. As well as a major store refit, Elise Wheadon and the team have keenly adopted emerging technologies and jumped at professional opportunities to ensure the pharmacy has thrived in an increasingly competitive and digitised environment.

Wizard Pharmacy Kalgoorlie Central have been working tirelessly through the pandemic months and are even continuing their dedication to patient care through increased tele-health engagement, ensuring customers are supported throughout these difficult times. It is this commitment to innovation that has seen Wizard Pharmacy Kalgoorlie Central take out the Guild Pharmacy of the Year 2020 Professional Innovation category win.

In this episode, we chat with Elise Wheadon, from Wizard Pharmacy Kalgoorlie Central, about her pharmacy’s journey toward Guild Pharmacy of the Year 2020, some of the challenges facing the industry, and what lies ahead for the future.

The Guild Pharmacy of the Year 2020 awards are proudly sponsored by Care Pharmaceuticals and the Quality Care Pharmacy Program.
A thank you to the proud sponsors of The Guild Pharmacy of the Year 2020 awards, Care Pharmaceuticals and the Quality Care Pharmacy Program.

The Pharmacy Guild of Australia has announced plans for the Guild Pharmacy of the Year Awards for 2021! For more information, visit guild.org.au and search “Pharmacy of the Year”.

Electronic prescribing has been on the horizon for some time now, but what exactly is it and how will it impact the community pharmacy industry?

Electronic prescribing is essentially an initiative that provides an option for prescribers and their patients to use an electronic, as opposed to paper, Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) prescription.

Electronic prescriptions form part of the broader digital health and medicines safety framework and the benefits will include a greater choice for patients, improved efficiency in prescribing, and reduced errors in dispensing.

To take us through exactly what’s going on in the world of ePrescribing, we’re joined by Jason Bratuskins, Product Manager at FRED IT Group, and a pharmacy owner, who is supporting the rollout of this new and exciting technology.

Guy Leech is a former Australian Ironman champion. Retired from competition, Guy is now a community health advocate, helping Australia gain an awareness of the risk and prevalence of sudden cardiac arrest. In helping Australia become 'Heart Smart', Guy’s mission is to ensure Australian businesses and communities have access to life-saving defibrillators.

In this episode, Guy discusses his own experiences which led him to establish Heart180 – a group on a mission to give all Australians access to a lifesaving defibrillator within 180 seconds of an emergency occurring.

Through Heart180, Guy is driving awareness of just how common an emergency can be and helping businesses become equipped to deal with these life-changing events.

As professionals on the front-line of patient care, pharmacists and pharmacy staff stand to benefit greatly from the lessons and resources available in this episode.

Community Pharmacy is an engaging and rewarding industry to be a part of. On the other hand, however, it can at times be challenging and overwhelming. Workplace stress is a common experience for pharmacists and pharmacy staff, and it can present in many ways and over different periods of time.

The industry has harboured a long-held notion that working long and stressful hours, under high prescription numbers, and constant patient queries are par for the course, and this can often lead to cultures of stress and burnout within the profession.

The recent outbreak of COVID-19 certainly hasn't made any improvements in this environment and many pharmacies are now coping with the stressors of customer abuse, business continuity plans, and keeping up with ever-changing guidelines. It is a timely opportunity to get the conversation rolling on workplace wellbeing and mental health in Community Pharmacy.

In this episode, we speak with Kay Dunkley, a registered pharmacist and current Executive Officer of Pharmacists Support Services. Kay has a wealth of experience in working to provide support services to the pharmacy profession, and, has worked on a number of medicines and therapeutic advisory committees.

We also chat with Helen Lowy, registered pharmacist and counsellor. Helen helps individuals and businesses understand the impacts associated with healthcare culture and move from "surviving to thriving". We discuss some of her areas of clinical interest including psychological safety, resilience, and connection through meaning and purpose.

Many pharmacists are finding the current COVID-19 crisis to be stressful or causing burnout. The Guild in collaboration with Pharmacists Support Services developed the Managing stress in pharmacy module, this module addresses key contributors to workplace stress in community pharmacy and strategies to minimise stress. To access the module go to https://guilded.guild.org.au/

To access the Managing Stress in Pharmacy publication developed by PSS in collaboration with industry stakeholders, go to https://www.supportforpharmacists.org.au/images/managing-stress-in-pharmacy-au-2018.pdf

Capital Chemist Chisholm is a fantastic example of the qualities and attributes that will shape the development of community pharmacy moving into the future. Rebecca Young (pharmacy owner) and the team have driven their success through strong business management, capitalising on emerging technologies, and engaging the wider health community.

In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, Capital Chemist Chisolm has displayed an unwavering commitment to community engagement and has continued to provide professional service and advice to patients and the public.

Capital Chemist Chisholm’s dedication to patient care and community service saw them win the Business Management category and then be named Overall Pharmacy of the year for 2020.

The GPY 2020 award are proudly sponsored by principal sponsor Care Pharmaceuticals and sponsor QCPP.

Today we talk with Rebecca Young about the pharmacy’s journey to GPY 2020, the challenges currently facing community pharmacy, and what is in store for the future.

Digital enablement is a critical component of modern business and community pharmacy is no exception. It's clear that the impacts of technology are making a big impact on the profession, with many traditional roles and processes now streamlined through innovative digital products. With effective integration, this affords community pharmacy an opportunity to engage more productively with both patients and the wider health network.

The recent COVID-19 outbreak shines a spotlight on the need for digital capability in the industry. Under new guidelines, many traditional avenues of patient interaction will need to be digitalised. The pandemic has also accelerated a number of health projects including electronic prescribing. Community pharmacy must be equipped to hit the ground running in this new digital frontier.

In this episode, we speak with Chris Clark from du.today, a company specialising in helping businesses identify their digital selves. A co-founder of Australia's premier innovation and start-up festival, Spark Festival, Chris is also an expert in helping businesses identify digital opportunities and guiding them on their digital journey.

There are several resources available to help community pharmacies navigate the pathway to digital enablement. The Guild's CP2025 Framework for Change publication outlines nine growth pathways to help inform future business strategies, one of which is Digital Enablement.

Guild members can also access digital engagement blogs and videos written for Australian community pharmacies and the Australian Digital Engagement Guide via the Guild Digital website.

Pharmacists and pharmacy staff have answered the “call to action” and are navigating the COVID-19 landscape with exceptional resolve. Whilst the community pharmacy industry has made considerable efforts to ensure critical services are maintained amidst the outbreak, frontline workers continue to encounter challenges underpinning their professional and moral duties to the response effort.

Today we speak with George Tambassis, National President of The Pharmacy Guild of Australia, to discuss some of these challenges facing community pharmacies as they continue to play a significant role in the healthcare response to COVID-19. We also chat about the achievements the industry has made so far and cover some of the initiatives the Guild is taking to support members and community pharmacy during the health crisis.

Community pharmacy is obviously rising to the challenge in response to the COVID-19 crisis, as demonstrated by the resilience and commitment shown at the ground level by pharmacists and pharmacy staff. Its clear that the critical services offered by community pharmacy form a vital part of the overall response, and efforts must be made to ensure these continue effectively and safely for the benefit of both members and the general public.

The Guild is working tirelessly to ensure members have access to reliable, up-to-date information. There are resources available to assist you in preparing your pharmacy to respond to the COVID-19 outbreak. These include checklists, procedures and signage to assist in the management of patient presentation to the pharmacy, business continuity plans, and information to ensure the health and safety of staff in the workplace.

The resources provided should be used in conjunction with normal pharmacy operating protocols. Members can access information and resources here:

https://www.guild.org.au/resources/business-operations/covid-19

https://www.guild.org.au/resources/business-operations/covid-19/covid-19-guide-for-community-pharmacy

https://www.health.gov.au/resources/collections/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov-resources

https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/doc/coronavirus-covid-19-advice-employers

The situation is changing rapidly so it is important to stay up to date with the latest official information about the spread of COVID-19 an what step are being taken.

Most importantly, take care of yourself, your families, and your staff.

Community pharmacy will continue to play a critical role in supporting our community.

The impact of COVID-19 has been felt on a global scale. The challenges facing healthcare providers are monumental. Once again, community pharmacy finds itself on the frontline of an unprecedented response effort.

Across Australia, pharmacists and pharmacy staff continue to engage with their communities and primary health networks, supporting patients and playing an active role in the continuously evolving healthcare response.

As COVID-19 spreads, community pharmacies remain one of the most accessible destinations for essential needs and health services. This accessibility of community pharmacy means people may present with indications they have the Coronavirus, or COVID-19.

The coronavirus, or COVID-19, is a highly transmissible virus with symptoms of fever, cough, sore throat, fatigue and shortness of breath.

Pharmacists can minimise the spread of the virus by undertaking a number of specific activities to ensure they support their staff and patients. In particular, ongoing care for vulnerable patients or those that are self-isolating will be important.

This podcast will focus on preparing your pharmacy for the coronavirus and how to respond to a suspected case.

One thing is clear: amidst the pandemic, pharmacies remain resolutely focused on the health and wellbeing of their communities. This commitment is helping to ensure patients can continue to rely on expert advice and service required in these challenging times. The accessibility, training and versatility of community pharmacy is once again at the forefront of a national healthcare response effort.

The Guild is working tirelessly to ensure members have access to reliable, up-to-date information. There are resources available to assist you in preparing your pharmacy to respond to the COVID-19 outbreak. These include checklists, procedures and signage to assist in the management of patient presentation to the pharmacy, business continuity plans, and information to ensure the health and safety of staff in the workplace.

The resources provided should be used in conjunction with normal pharmacy operating protocols. Members can access information and resources here:

https://www.guild.org.au/resources/business-operations/COVID-19-Information

https://www.health.gov.au/resources/collections/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov-resources

https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/doc/coronavirus-covid-19-advice-employers

The situation is changing rapidly so it is important to stay up to date with the latest official information about the spread of COVID-19 and what steps are being taken.

Most importantly, take care of yourself, your families, and your staff.

Community pharmacy will continue to play a critical role in supporting our community.

The bushfire season of 2019-20 was the most sustained and confronting in Australia’s recent history with fires threatening communities in many states and territories across unprecedented areas of land.

In numerous Australian towns, community pharmacists were faced with distressed patients, both local and visiting, power failures, broken medicine supply lines, fuel shortages, acrid smoke, appalling air quality. Further, the pharmacies themselves and the homes of the staff were under direct threat, as were family members and friends.

The unprecedented social and financial impacts of the 2019-20 bushfire season have pushed community pharmacies into the front lines of response efforts; highlighting their versatility and value within affected communities and showcasing their resilience in adverse situations.

Today, we speak with Andrew Topp, Group Business Manager of Capital Chemist Group, about the broader impacts of the bushfire season on community pharmacy and what it may mean for the industry going forward. We also chat with Danielle Campbell, the owner of Narooma Pharmacy, about her own experiences on the front line of the bushfire response efforts and the challenges she and her team faced.

It is clear that community pharmacies and staff can play a crucial role in the response to natural disasters and maintain positive patient outcomes in adverse conditions. Accessibility, training and strong community engagement place pharmacists in ideal positions to contribute to the ongoing support of patients and communities affected by bushfires. The efforts demonstrated by pharmacies across Australia highlight the need for industry engagement across future disaster planning and operations.

The Guild understands the importance of emergency management and planning. There are resources available to assist you to prepare for an emergency situation. These resources include templates to support you to develop a business continuity plan to help your business survive possible emergencies and to enable the community’s continued access to medicines in these situations. Members can review advice, download and print off the emergency management planning templates here: https://www.guild.org.au/resources/in-home-care/emergency-management

The Guild has recently launched the My Pharmacy Career recruitment platform, a national jobs platform specific to community pharmacy. My Pharmacy Career is designed for pharmacists, pharmacy assistants, pharmacy managers, dispensary technicians, and all the other workforce roles that help make community pharmacy one of the most trusted health destinations in Australia. 

Many of our listeners have spoken about the challenges that come with recruiting quality staff or finding the perfect role. As such, we thought we would ask for some advice from a recruitment specialist.

Today, we speak with Merryn Hails from Recruit2Retail Australia who provides great insight into the recruitment process including; what candidates are looking for,  tips and hints for writing the perfect advertisement, conducting a sound interview process, and avoiding the recruitment pitfalls.

Recruiting a professional pharmacist or qualified pharmacy staff for your business is vital and I think we have been given some great tips and hints there by Merryn. As we mentioned at the start of the show, the Guild recently launched the community pharmacy recruitment platform, My Pharmacy Career. Guild Members are able to register to advertise jobs and access candidates actively looking for work in community pharmacy. It is included in Guild Membership, saving members money on recruitment for their pharmacy.

We know that for those looking for a new job the process can be tough. It can be exhausting updating your resume, thinking about what roles you want to apply for, believing in yourself and what you can bring to a workplace… and that’s all before you even start looking for jobs.  Finding a job in the pharmacy industry up until now has been a case of looking on a variety of websites or platforms to see what jobs are going at the moment, and even then you’re not sure if you’ve found them all. My Pharmacy Career is the central location for community pharmacies across Australia to advertise jobs. Instead of visiting multiple sites, My Pharmacy Career is the destination for anyone looking for a job in community pharmacy.  

To find out more about My Pharmacy Career visit www.guild.org.au/mypharmacycareer

To create a job advertisement or your candidate profile and start your job search visit www.mypharmacycareer.com.au

And as always contact your local Guild branch for assistance

Marketing is such an important part of a business yet, increasingly, marketing is becoming more and more fragmented, with so many different tactics to consider and, all the while, people’s attention is at more of a premium than ever.

A lot of people simplify marketing as the stuff we can see; the ads, the social media, the videos, etc. Others think it is so complex and scary that they just don’t know where to start.

Marketing at its core, however, is about finding people with a need and getting them to trust you. As such, your job is to get the right information, to the right people, at the right time.

If you a regular listener of the show, you’ll know that, normally, we would welcome a guest onto the show. However, this time around, Daniel Oyston, the show’s host, will provide some marketing advice for you.

Daniel is the owner of the marketing consultancy, Content Grasshopper www.contentgrasshopper.com.au, and teaches marketing units at university.

In this episode, Daniel will give you 11 pieces of marketing advice that he usually charges clients for.

Guild members  can tap into a plethora of resources and tools on the Guild website. Check out the Guild Social Media Hub. On this content hub, you will find a collection of regularly updated resources developed to assist members to use social media effectively and build a strong, engaged social media following. Monthly content plans, How-to-guides, Articles to share and lots more. Go to www.guild.org.au/resources/leverage-brand/social-media-hub

Another great option is to contact Guild Digital. Guild Digital is the leader in helping pharmacies engage with their local customers using a complete pharmacy website that delivers, all within your budget. If you are looking at building a website for your pharmacy and you don’t know where to start get in contact with Guild Digital today at www.guilddigital.com.au

For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, Australia’s colonial history is characterised by devastating land dispossession, violence, and racism. Over the last half-century, however, many significant steps towards reconciliation have been taken. 

Reconciliation is an ongoing journey that reminds us that while generations of Australians have fought hard for meaningful change, future gains are likely to take just as much, if not more, effort.

At its heart, reconciliation is about strengthening relationships between Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Indigenous peoples, for the benefit of all Australians

Today we speak with John Briggs from John Briggs Consultancy who offers expertise in workshops, training, facilitation, and providing specialist guidance around Indigenous engagement and inclusion. They work with government, non-government, corporate, early years, and education sector organisations, Australia-wide, to provide high quality tailored services.

John Briggs has delivered over 1,100 cultural competency presentations, in the last 10 years, across the mining, banking, retail, early years, and education sectors. With more than 25 years of experience, John Briggs is passionate about Indigenous culture, inclusion, employment, and engagement; assisting organisations to be better equipped and confident in these areas.

Central to his style and service delivery, are the fundamental principles of creating culturally safe learning environments and establishing trust. John Briggs is a collaborative networker and genuine expert in his field of professional speaking and facilitation.

Today, company leaders, managers, and key business influencers operate in interesting times; to say the least. Amid growth ambitions, and an uncertain future, we are facing one of our greatest front-line business challenges yet because 2020 is the year where over 50% of employees will be in their mid-30s or younger.

The complexities posed by the situation of having five generations within a team are already being felt across the board. For example, imagine having a tech savvy Gen Z team member with a curious and creative personality, wanting to push forward quickly with new ideas, working alongside a Baby Boomer who seeks clear direction and structure and moves forward only with surety.

How do you make sure everyone's needs are being met against the backdrop of what is right for your business?

Nicky Mackie is the leading authority on multi-generational workforces in Australia. Her book on the subject, Gennorm: Why Multi-Generational Workplace Management Is The New Norm For Succeeding In Business Today, was released in 2018.

In this episode, we speak with Nicky on ways in which business leaders can uncover each team member’s self-drivers and how to create opportunities for them so they can play to their strengths.