Pharmacy Daily | SHPA leading gender equity drive

EMBRACING the #ChooseToChallenge theme of this year's International Women's Day, the Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia (SHPA) is voicing its commitment to gender equality.

SHPA CEO, Kristin Michaels, said women across Australian hospital pharmacy were challenging a legacy of traditional leadership, taking on influencial positions on the organisation's Board and committees.

"Our membership currently comprises 76% women pharmacists and technicians, with 70% representation on the SHPA Board of Directors and 66% on the SHPA Executive," she said.

"Shaping clinical practice and achievement, women lead 18 of SHPA's 27 Specialty Practice Leadership Committees, have received nearly 60% of SHPA Fellowships and more than half of our three major annual awards bestowed so far this century.

"We are proud to lead pharmacy in female representation across organisational leadership and governance, strengthening our advocacy on behalf of the predominantly female Australian hospital pharmacy workforce."

Michaels said there was a need for greater workplace flexibility if the profession is to continue to expand its scope and increase the impact pharmacists can make on patient care.

"This is especially important with such a significant and valuable female workforce," she said.

"I am proud we are able to support women in clinical leadership roles; currently all of the senior pharmacists working within my clinical program are women, and half are young mothers who work part-time.

"Without them, our clinical services would not be where they are now.

"I urge those in positions of influence to support flexible and part-time work in clinical leadership roles, and to encourage practice-based research including PhDs for pharmacists working in clinical positions."

Michaels added that research led by SHPA members predicted women will achieve an average 50% representation in Australian pharmacy professional committees no sooner than 2029.