Pharmacy Daily | Blooms provides tips on collaboration

BLOOMS the Chemist is making the most of its sponsorship of APP2023 this week, hosting a thought-provoking panel featuring 2022 Queensland Young Australian of the Year, Dr Tahnee Bridson (pictured), on why healthcare industry collaboration and prioritising self-care are key to delivering better patient outcomes and healthier teams.

Under Blooms' overarching theme, 'Better Together', Bridson, who is Founder of Hand-n-Hand Peer Support, will lead sessions providing practical tips on how to establish "authentically set boundaries" to avoid burnout, and boost confidence in connecting and communicating with both peers and patients.

Blooms The Chemist Chief Executive Officer Emmanuel Vavoulas says it's important the profession works together to tackle the issues facing them and look to the opportunities that oftentimes emerge from adversity, which starts by ensuring the wellbeing of pharmacists themselves.

"We must acknowledge that the industry challenges we have all faced have taken their toll.

"We have seen experienced pharmacists leave the profession and we know others early in their careers may feel disillusioned and under-resourced.

"With an extended scope of practice already underway, it's so important that we take the time to listen and better understand what can be improved in our profession, and how collaboration is key to ensuring better outcomes for pharmacists and patients alike," the Blooms CEO added.

Blooms will also deliver a conscious-networking workshop at APP for Early Career Pharmacists facilitated by Bridson.

The group also invites pharmacists to book time slots to have candid chats with its CEO Vavoulas sharing what they love, and what they feel could be improved about the profession, with the insights used to inform a Whitepaper and other key resources.

Blooms will conduct an important Pharmacist Focus Survey at APP, with responses captured via a video booth (similar to a photo booth set-up), as well as an online survey, with the chance to win a travel voucher and other self-care prizes.

"We're aiming to capture deeper insights into the motivations, aspirations, and challenges facing our profession," said Vavoulas.