Alumni in profile

May 2009

Jim Poynter – a life of achievement

Norman (Jim) Poynter (PhC 1939) was from a family of pharmacists – father, two uncles, sister and cousin. During his pharmacy studies he was apprenticed to Charles Skewes in Camberwell and, after graduating aged 21, he joined the staff at the Repatriation General Hospital in Caulfield.

Not long after, Jim became the sole advocate representing female pharmacists in their claim for equal pay at the Commonwealth Court of Conciliation and Arbitration. The judge was disturbed to learn of the considerable disparity in pay and ruled that the rate should be raised from the existing 65% to 92.5%, in spite of strong objections from employers. This was a notable outcome.

In addition to being a practising pharmacist, Jim became a trainee signaller in the part-time militia at the outbreak of World War II. Despite pharmacy being a ‘reserved occupation’ he transferred to the Australian Imperial Force for further training at Wangaratta and Darley, later serving some months at No5 POW (Whorouly) with about 1000 Italian officer prisoners of war, which he describes as ‘an enlightening experience, to say the least!’

After nearly a year at Adelaide River, near Darwin, Jim was posted as S/Sgt to ADMS Morotai in 1945 for the planned Borneo campaign. While stationed at Morotai, Jim was responsible for the handling and distribution of the first shipment of CSL Australian-made penicillin. This was an exciting and life-saving revolution in the treatment of serious infections.

After the war, Jim returned to the Repatriation General Hospital in Melbourne, then in 1949 was appointed Chief Pharmacist at the Royal Hobart Hospital. About 1963, he established the Central Medical Store in the newly refurbished mews of Captain Swanston’s property at New Town, Hobart. This centralised the supplies of all pharmaceuticals to all Tasmanian government hospitals, district medical officers and the Royal Flying Doctor Service in Tasmania.

Later, Jim purchased one of Tasmania’s oldest pharmacies at Battery Point and became an agency for Leica photographic supplies, giving him the opportunity to pursue a lifelong hobby that he still enjoys.

Jim retired in 1984 and, now aged 91, still cherishes happy memories of his four years at the college with A.T.S. Sissons, Byron Stanton, Cyril Tonkin, Norman ‘Snowy’ Coe and others.

Alumnus gets top role at Victorian PSA

Bill Suen (BPharm 1981) was recently appointed Branch Director of the PSA (Victorian branch).

Bill, who completed further qualifications in management after graduating from the faculty, has had a wide range of senior pharmacy management experience in the public and private sectors. He has worked in pharmacy, medical supply and IT, as well as in private and public hospitals, and was proprietor of his own community pharmacy.

A valued member of staff at Monash, Bill taught pharmacy management at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels from 2003 until his recent appointment. He became a council member of the PSA (Victorian branch) in 2005.

Bill sold his pharmacy in Thornbury last June before taking on his new role, which he says allows him to ‘continue to serve and support the pharmacy profession with passion and dedication’.

Bill will remain a board member of the Pharmacy Board of Victoria and the unit chair in pharmacy management at Chifley Business School.

SHPA Fellowship

Anne Leversha (BPharm 1971), Director of Pharmacy at Latrobe Regional Hospital and senior lecturer at Monash, has been awarded a Fellowship of the Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia (SHPA) in recognition of her outstanding contributions to pharmacy education and the pharmacy community.

SHPA Fellowships recognise members across Australia who have demonstrated a high level of postgraduate academic achievement in areas relevant to the practice of hospital pharmacy, and have confirmed an active commitment to the profession. Recipients must also be acknowledged leaders in their profession whose opinions are recognised, sought and valued.

“I am delighted to be recognised by my peers and thrilled that they thought I was worthy of such an award,” says Anne.

With over 30 years of experience in pharmacy education and clinical practice in Victoria, Anne has always maintained a strong focus on rural health. She has constantly promoted awareness and understanding of rural practices, and was instrumental in the establishment of compulsory rural placements for the faculty’s pharmacy students.

Anne has also held positions with senior groups, including rural advisor to the SHPA and an invited member of the Victorian Medicines Advisory Committee.

Only three SHPA Fellowships were awarded in 2008. The other recipients were West Australian pharmacist Jennifer Benzie and Sue Kirsa (BPharm 1983, GradDipHospPharm 1995), Director of Pharmacy at Peter Mac.

Sheridan Roth
Clinical pharmacist (emergency medicine and paediatrics),
Box Hill Hospital

When Sheridan Roth (BPharm(Hons) 2002) started studying pharmacy, she was working part-time in a retail pharmacy and had never considered a job in hospital pharmacy. But after completing her internship and enjoying it, she decided to stay in the hospital system.

As the point of contact for provision of drugs and information, Sheridan’s role involves recording a medication taking history with patients when they first arrive in the emergency department and helping to clarify any initial medication issues. She advises patients on the best use of medicines and counsels them about any new or changed medicines. Her work also involves discussing patients and their medications with medical, nursing and other allied health staff.

“I like working as part of a team and it’s great to see the benefit to the patient, for example you suggest a treatment to the doctor, it’s given and the patient improves. While in retail pharmacy, the patient improves but you rarely get any feedback,” she said. “I also feel that you use your in-depth clinical knowledge of pharmacokinetics and pharmaceutics more in the hospital setting and I learn a lot about many things, not only drugs.”

Sheridan’s role also involves looking after paediatric patients in the hospital.

“This is challenging, as children and neonates require different treatment to adults,” she said. “We need to take special care in checking that the doses prescribed are all correct for the child’s age and weight.”

Other aspects of Sheridan’s job include dispensing prescriptions and preparing sterile products such as parenteral nutrition, certain antibiotics and antifungals, bulk products and iron infusions. Nurses make up many drugs on the wards, but Sheridan explained that pharmacists make up any drugs that involve multiple vials, complicated preparation regimens, drugs that are susceptible to error, and bulk batches.

She also prepares non-sterile products such as creams and mixtures, performs small studies, projects and audits, and assists in writing treatment protocols and other guidelines to ensure that treatment given to patients is consistent and aligned with current evidence.

“I really enjoy being part of the treatment decision making processes to achieve the best outcome for the patient,” she said. “It’s always rewarding to see that your contact with the patient, no matter how small, has improved their use or understanding of their medications.

“It’s also very exciting to work in a fast-paced environment like the emergency department, as you never know what type of patient will turn up. I learn something new every day.”

Sheridan is currently studying for a Graduate Diploma in Health Economics at Monash and plans to continue working in hospitals, perhaps branching out into another specialty area of pharmacy. In the future, she hopes to use her economics qualification to work in management or policy making within a hospital, industry or the government.