MONASH University's Rural Pharmacy Liaison Officer Emily Griffin (pictured) was recognised with the Early Career Pharmacist of the Year Award at the recent Victorian Annual Excellence Awards, presented by the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PD 20 Dec 2023).
The award recognised Griffin's deep-rooted passion for healthcare and efforts to make pharmaceutical services more accessible, noted a statement from the university.
One of her main achievements included co-building and developing the Australian-first Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD) Statewide Pharmacy Service in Vic, leading to the successful implementation of the service in 2019.
She has also co-authored VAD guidelines and a Pharmacist Credentialing Program for training pharmacists across the country, and contributed significantly to the pharmacy profession through professional services, innovation, community programs, health promotion, professional development, and pharmacist and patient advocacy.
Griffin is currently practising as a Senior Pharmacist in the Complex Care Service at St Vincent's Hospital, Rural Pharmacy Liaison Officer for Vic within Monash Rural Health, a teaching associate within the Master of Clinical Pharmacy at Monash University, and a credentialed consultant pharmacist.
Highlighting her personalised approach to patient care, Griffin said, "every patient I see I treat as though they are my family member, and it is an honour to be able to serve patients in whichever the setting may be, particularly, in their home".
She also acknowledged the support of her manager Dr Pamela Harvey, Director of Rural Nursing and Allied Health Partnerships at Monash Rural Health, and how important a positive workplace culture is.
"It is something I am passionate about because people in our industry need a positive workplace to ensure that care is at the forefront of all that we do."
In her role as Rural Pharmacy Liaison Officer for Vic, the Monash statement added that Griffin is giving back to her rural roots by supporting and promoting the rural pharmacist workforce.
"Rural pharmacy practice and the care of humans in rural Australia is just as important as metropolitan pharmacy practice and the care of humans in metros - the opportunities, the care, and the resources should not differ so enormously," Griffin said.
"I'm hoping to be able to influence some change here." JG
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