On 25 September, QEII Hospital proudly celebrated World Pharmacists Day, honouring the dedication, expertise, and impact of its Pharmacy team.
The department came alive as the Pharmacy team donned their best purple uniforms and hosted a day of interactive behind-the-scenes tours, quizzes and activities, and sweet prizes.
The celebration also marked a year of remarkable progress and innovation at the unit. Since the PBS implementation go-live eight months ago, the Pharmacy team has demonstrated outstanding leadership and commitment to improving patient care.
In that time, the team has achieved a remarkable 50 per cent increase in the number of patients receiving daily clinical reviews, a change that has directly enhanced safety and continuity of care across the hospital.
“Our clinical pharmacists are everywhere, every day, helping keep patients safe,” said QEII Pharmacy Director Natalie Tasker.
“Medication is one of the most common interventions in hospital care, and our team plays a vital role in ensuring safety. Our remit is everyone, everywhere, any time a medicine is used.”
The team’s efforts have also redefined the standard of what a modern public hospital pharmacy can achieve. By focusing on capability and capacity, they’ve strengthened their clinical presence and broadened their impact, while their research efforts have gained national recognition, with four abstracts accepted for presentation at the upcoming national Medicines Management 2025 Conference.
Natalie highlighted the team’s strong focus on caring for older patients, who carry the highest risk for medication-related misadventure and potential harm, making clinical pharmacy support especially important for this age group.
“We know risk of medication misadventure increases with age, so we are intentional about reviewing medications during hospital stays, to reduce harm and improve quality of life. It’s a service that truly benefits our patients and helps prevent readmissions,” she explained.
Looking ahead, the Pharmacy Department is preparing to move into a larger, upgraded space within the next 12 months, a key milestone in the hospital’s redesign journey.
The new space will support even greater collaboration and care delivery, reinforcing the team’s role at the heart of QEII’s clinical services.
“I’m so proud to work with such a skilled and passionate team,” Natalie said.
“Their dedication truly makes a difference, and World Pharmacists Day was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate everything they bring to our amazing hospital.”