125 stories for 125 years

Pharmacy organisations

For 125 years the college, the society and the Pharmacy Board of Victoria have shared the same site. The first was in the former County Court in Swanston Street, in the heart of Melbourne, and the second in a purpose-built college in Royal Parade in Parkville. The college’s co-location with organised pharmacy is probably unique in the world.

For more than a century these three organisations shared employees. The same person was the registrar of the board, secretary of the society and registrar of the college. When Robert Burnet was appointed deputy registrar in 1973 the college had its own full-time registrar for the first time. The society established the school and was responsible for the day-to-day operation of it but the board had the authority to declare an institution an approved school of pharmacy and was responsible for overseeing its educational program and standards.

The Pharmaceutical Society of Victoria was established in response to a Bill introduced into the Legislative Council of the Victorian Parliament in 1857 by Dr Daniel Tierney. The concerted opposition to the Bill mounted by the chemists of the colony ensured the legislation sank into oblivion and provided the impetus for the establishment of the society. Among the foundation members of the society were Joseph Bosisto, Cuthbert Blackett, William Johnson, George Lewis and John Kruse. All would become members of the Pharmacy Board of Victoria when it was established two decades later and all played a role in the future college of pharmacy, the school of the society, founded in 1881.

The Pharmacy Board of Victoria was established to administer new Acts. The board was responsible for establishing and maintaining a register of qualified pharmacists; for accreditation of schools of pharmacy and overseeing the curriculum and examinations; and for holding inquiries into the conduct of pharmacists. Seven eminent pharmacists were appointed to the board for a term of three years; after that, members were to be elected by registered pharmacists. Bosisto was the board’s first president.

The Pharmacy Board of Victoria continued to take a keen interest in its educational role. Beginning with Edwin Church in the 1920s, the college had had at least one member on the board. Since 1938 there has been at least one lecturer on the board. This was formalised with the Pharmacists Act 1974, whereby the membership of the board was increased from seven to ten, with five members elected and five appointed. One appointee was to be an academic engaged in teaching or research and nominated by the society. Harold Barker was already on the board and was the society’s nominee. When Barker retired, Dr Ian Pitman was appointed Dean of Pharmaceutics and was the academic nominee on the board from 1976 to 1986, after which Professor Barry Reed was nominated. In 2006 he was in his tenth year as president of the board. Dr Nigel Manning returned for a second term on the board while dean in 1968-1970 and Associate Professor Louis Roller was an elected member for 21 years.

At the insistence of the Commonwealth Government, a separate college council was formed in 1976. The plan was approved at the annual general meeting of the society in 1976. A company limited by guarantee called the Victorian College of Pharmacy Ltd was created to manage the college. It was incorporated in September 1976. Although autonomous, it was ultimately responsible to the society since its directors would be appointed by members of the company (i.e. the council of the society). The society leased its buildings to the college for $20 per annum on a 99-year lease.

There are other important organisations that represent pharmacists with which the college has close relationships. The Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia (SHPA) is the professional body which represents over 1,600 pharmacists and pharmacy technicians practising in all parts of the Australian health system. It was established in 1941 following the pioneering efforts of 25 public hospital pharmacists in Victoria. From 1947 to 1964 other branches were developed. The SHPA has a long-standing commitment to the profession of hospital pharmacy and to the profession’s role in ensuring optimal health outcomes for Australian consumers by the safe and effective use of medicines.

The current Victorian Branch Committee Chairman is college staff member, Rohan Elliott who works in the Department of Pharmacy Practice. The SHPA supports the Victorian Pharmacy Students’ Association (VPSA), which was formed at the college in 1947. In 2005 they participated in the Monash University Careers Expo, Open Day, 2nd year hospital pharmacy symposium, and information nights for students and pre-registrants and sponsored prizes for the Master of Clinical Pharmacy and 3rd year exhibition.

Another important organisation is the Pharmacy Guild of Australia. It was established in 1928, bringing together several small retail pharmacy organisations then operating in the various States. Its members are owners of some 4,500 pharmacies throughout Australia. Eric Scott was a foundation member of the Pharmacy Guild of Australia, which was formed in 1928, and was Victorian State President from 1930 to 1947 and Federal President from 1947 to 1971. He was later knighted for his services to pharmacy. He was president of the Pharmaceutical Society of Victoria for a record term of six years (1955-1960). It was during his presidency that the planning for and erection of the new college was carried out. Scott played a major role in this development and, in particular, in raising the necessary funds. Today, the Guild continues to support the college by donating prizes and sponsoring the college’s 125th anniversary celebrations, along with the SHPA and PSA.

Pharmaceutical Defence Limited (PDL), established in 1912, is the oldest and largest national pharmaceutical organisation in Australia. It provides professional indemnity insurance for the pharmacy profession and enjoys a national membership of around 13,500.  PDL was a Principal partner of the college’s 125th celebrations and has supported many other initiatives at the college such as student prizes and the annual Pre-Registration dinner.

So, over the years there have been many links between the college and the pharmacy organisations. Many board members, councillors of the society, people active in other pharmacy organisations and ex-students who have gained eminence in the health professions have taken a great interest in ‘their’ college and become involved as lecturers, demonstrators, examiners, advisers, fundraisers and guest speakers. Barry Reed, the president of the board since 1997, has taught at the college for four decades. Students are introduced to ‘official pharmacy’ from the beginning of their studies and it is generally agreed that this interconnection is one of the strengths of Victorian pharmacy. Students may become student members of the society for a minimal fee, are offered benefits and discounts and may attend lectures, seminars and meetings conducted by the society.

In 1936 the Swanston Street building was the home of pharmacy organisation in Victoria and housed the Pharmacy Board of Victoria, the Pharmaceutical Society of Victoria, Pharmaceutical Defence Limited, the Federated Pharmaceutical Services Guild of Australia (federal and state offices), Australasian Pharmaceutical Publishing Co. Ltd and the Pharmaceutical Association of Australia and New Zealand.

Ten years later A.T.S. Sissons expressed the view that ‘the College would not be successful if it were dissociated from the official bodies of Victorian pharmacy, and, … I do not think that the official bodies of Victorian pharmacy could function in the way they had if they in turn were not so closely associated with the college’.