THE Pharmacy Guild of Australia has appointed Gerard Benedet (pictured) as Executive Director following an Australia-wide search (PD Breaking News yesterday).
Benedet has served as the Pharmacy Guild's Qld Branch Director since Oct 2019 and has worked closely with Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and the Qld Labor Govt to develop and implement nation-leading reforms to primary healthcare, including the North Queensland Scope of Practice Pilot, the Community Pharmacy UTI Health Service, and the Free Flu Vaccination Program.
He has also led the Guild's response to the COVID pandemic in Qld, which was the first state to allow community pharmacists to administer COVID vaccines and the first state to conduct school-based COVID vaccine outreach.
Prior to joining the Guild, he had held senior roles at News Corp Australia, Careers Australia, and the National Rugby League, which culminated in the successful realisation of Rugby League Central and its associated hall of fame and education centre, via a grant from the then Infrastructure Minister, Anthony Albanese.
Benedet was also Chief of Staff to the Leader of the Opposition in Queensland, Chief of Staff to the Queensland Treasurer, and National Director of not-for-profit advocacy organisation Advance Australia.
National President Prof Trent Twomey commented that Benedet "gets things done".
"Over the last four years, he has shown a unique ability to work side by side with Govt to deliver better care for patients, in a way that secures the long-term viability of community pharmacy.
"As we continue negotiations for an 8th Community Pharmacy Agreement, Gerard's strategic vision and extensive knowledge of the public sector and community pharmacy agenda will be a tremendous asset for the Guild, and the six thousand community pharmacies we represent."
Benedet said his four years as Qld Branch Director has been "immensely rewarding."
"I look forward to advocating on behalf of community pharmacy across the country to help unlock more opportunities to support Australia's world-class health system," he added.
Benedet is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors with degrees in Commerce and International Studies. JG
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