The National Board of the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) has elected Curtin University Professor Jeff Hughes, former Head of Curtin’s School of Pharmacy, as a national vice-president.
The PSA is a national organisation that aims on ‘improving [Australia’s] health through excellence in the practice of pharmacy’ by developing practices, guidelines and standards and providing professional development opportunities for Australian pharmacists.
Professor Hughes is acclaimed in the area of clinical pharmacy education and practice, having worked as a hospital, community or academic pharmacist since 1979. His research interests include pharmacy practice, quality use of medicines, adverse drug reactions and pharmacovigilance, pain management and pharmacy education.
Professor Hughes says that he is excited to help shape the direction of the PSA.
“I’m honoured to be elected by my peers,” he says.
“The board is already very focused, however, as an academic and accredited pharmacist, I believe that I can bring a different lens by encouraging the PSA to provide increased support to our members, so we can help them achieve their career goals in pharmacy.”
Professor Hughes has already received numerous state and national pharmacy awards, including the 2014 Australasian Pharmaceutical Sciences Association Medal, which recognises excellence and lasting contribution to the pharmaceutical sciences and pharmacy practice. He was also named the 2004 Pharmaceutical Society of Australia’s Pharmacist of the Year.
“I believe that all of my achievements, including being named Australian Pharmacist of the Year, which I was very honoured to receive, stem from being actively involved in the pharmacy profession. I believe that if you are a professional, you are part of a professional community and should do the best you can to further that profession,” he says.
The board also elected Michelle Lynch as the PSA’s other vice-president and renowned pharmacist Joe Demarte as the national president.
Professor Hughes has published over 200 research and professional papers and contributed to 19 books, including the 23rd edition of the Australian Pharmaceutical Formulary and Handbook, which is used by pharmacists across Australia.
Having completed a period as Head, School of Pharmacy, Professor Hughes has spent much of the past 12 months on sabbatical furthering his research activities, supervising a number of PhD students to completion and publishing a range of research papers. Further, with the assistance of Curtin University’s Commercialisation Unit, Professor Hughes and other Curtin researchers have established a spin-out company, Electronic Pain Assessment Technologies (ePAT) Pty Ltd, which is developing specialised technology to detect, evaluate and document pain in non-communicate individuals, such as patients with dementia.
