Pharmaciae (SAPC) | Message from the Registrar

Message from the Registrar

We are living in exciting times for pharmacy. As Council we are constantly improving our offering to the profession, be it in education and training, pharmacy practice, pre-registration matters, etc. The upcoming conference also adds to the excitement. We hope that this edition, jam-packed as it is with news tailored to keep you updated, will be a joy to read.

Council election 2018

Council election 2018 is currently underway. Soon the new Council will march into office prepared to make a difference in the profession of pharmacy. There will be new thinkers, old thinkers and the doers. With the envisaged Universal Health Care, we need Pharmacy for South Africa. The new Council should explore new models of pharmacy in line with the NHI and be ready for the rollout.

The return of ballot packs has been extended until 7 September 2018, after it was realised that some pharmacists might not receive their ballots in time. There was also a challenge of some pharmacists receiving duplicate packs. All these issues are receiving attention, rest assured that even if you receive and submit multiple ballots, only the first that we open will count, the rest will be destroyed. Read more on this matter in this edition, on the Council website as well as the emails the Returning Officer is sending out to all registered pharmacists.

Pharmacy Conference 2019

The 3rd NPC is taking place in Sun City next year. Read more about this in this edition so that you do not miss out. Most pharmacy professionals miss out on the preparations and only realise when it’s too late that they should have registered. This conference will be very exciting, as usual, with wide-ranging topics to cover almost all aspects in pharmacy.

The conference continues to be a unified platform for the advancement of the pharmacy profession. Inspired by the Vision 2030 as outlined in the National Development Plan and the spirit of #ThumaMina (Send Me) – wanting to be the positive change that we desire, the 3rd NPC will have as its theme: ‘Plugged-in, Engaged, Become a catalyst for change’.

The conference presents an opportunity for all of us to participate, for delegates to register, to contribute and recreate, network and relax, as well as for the companies in the pharmacy industry to expose their brands and products to industry decision-makers, experts and professionals through sponsorship and exhibitions. We invite you to grab the opportunity to be associated with this prestigious dialogue for the advancement of pharmacy in South Africa.

Pharmacy month- September 2018

Pharmacy Week has now been changed to Pharmacy Month. Read more in this issue about Pharmacy Month 2018, and in particular how to get posters and flyers to inform the public about their medicines during this important month. As always, Council promotes and supports this event by giving talk-show, radio and TV interviews, workshops and much more. Pharmacy Month allows the pharmacists to market the profession across the country. The theme ‘Use Medicines Wisely’ is a powerful message to be carried through to the public. Pharmacists should play a leading role in educating the public on the safe and effective use of medication. We take pride in launching national events like this one, and call upon all pharmacy personnel to take part and actively engage with the public on the usage of medicines.