COVID ‘a chance to be our best’: SHPA

AMID the disruption and uncertainty pharmacists are dealing with, the COVID-19 pandemic is providing the profession with an “opportunity to be the best we can”, Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia (SHPA) National President, Peter Fowler, believes.

Writing in the Journal of Pharmacy Practice and Research, Fowler described the crisis as “a once in a professional life-time challenge”, noting “our pharmacy departments have had teams broken up and separated... our roles and tasks have changed... some are assisting to establish a ventilator capacity in hospitals that have never managed this level of acuity before”.

“Against this backdrop, the SHPA has swung into action, with a near-total operational pivot toward ensuring our hospitals, and our hospital pharmacists, are resourced in every way conceivable for the months ahead,” he said.

As part of its response Fowler said the Society had opened up its special COVID-19 webinar series to non-members to ensure the free flow of vital information in the interest of patient care, with the sessions thus far attracting delegates from around the world, .

Fowler also noted the launch of the SHPA’s COVID-19 Hospital Pharmacy Relief Register, to support understaffed hospitals during the crisis.

“Of course, this is only the beginning,” he said.

“Just as we are in for the long haul living under new transmission mitigation measures, and as the pressure on hospital staffing, medicines supply and resources will be high for a considerable time to come, SHPA is steadfast in its commitment to our members, their colleagues and the Australians in their care.

“It is my great honour to lead an organisation that has embraced the challenges posed by this pandemic,” Fowler said.