Pharmacy Daily | PSA WA’s best of the best

THE Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) recognised Western Australia's top pharmacists as part of the 2023 PSA Excellence Awards last night in Perth.

The WA Pharmacist of the Year was awarded to Laura Stewart MPS.

Working in the Pilbara and Gascoyne regions of WA, known to have significant health workforce shortages, Stewart has been able to expand the team to now include 16 pharmacists, as well as two interns by investing in free accommodation for students and interns.

Her strong staff mentoring, forming strategic partnerships with professional bodies including universities to help stimulate and drive student placement opportunities, and community engagement through seminars, workshops or career vocation days, has seen the Pilbara region become a coveted placement destination.

The WA Early Career Pharmacist of the Year was awarded to Ayomide Ogundipe MPS.

Ogundipe is a practising pharmacist and academic, undertaking a Doctor of Philosophy at Curtin University investigating pharmacists' adoption of technologies.

The WA Intern of the Year was awarded to Keiran Batavia MPS.

Batavia demonstrated strong engagement with the Branch committee, a willingness to work collaboratively and showed excellent leadership potential.

The WA Lifetime Achievement was awarded to Prof Kevin Batty FPS for his exemplary 40-year career spanning hospital pharmacy, academic teaching and leadership, and research.

PSA WA President Lusi Sheehan MPS presented the awards and congratulated the winners and said, "these pharmacists have truly demonstrated the full scope of pharmacy practice in their respective faculties, have travelled beyond the regular roads of pharmacy and are outstanding in the heart of our profession".

Pictured (L-R): Dr Fei Sim, PSA National President, Ayomide Ogundipe, Prof Kevin Batty, Laura Stewart, Keiran Batavia, and the WA PSA President Lusi Sheehan.