Professor Sansom retired as head of UniSA’s School of
Pharmacy and Medical Sciences in December, but his influence on the pharmacy scene in
Australia and especially in pharmacy education, research and practice in SA will continue
to flourish through The Sansom Pharmacy Trust, which will be launched this weekend.
The Sansom Pharmacy Trust has been established to support UniSA’s School of Pharmaceutical, Molecular and
Biomedical Sciences in its pursuit of excellence in pharmacy education and research
and to promote activities in pharmacy practice that will be of benefit to the Australian
community.
SA Minister for Human Services, Dean Brown will launch the Trust at a special dinner
at the Adelaide Town Hall at 7.30 pm.
Trust Chairman Colin Johns said it was more than appropriate to name the new Trust
after Professor Sansom because his contribution to pharmacy education, research and
practice in Australia had been second to none.
"UniSA’s education in Pharmacy is pre-eminent in Australia today and
Professor Sansom pioneered the discipline of clinical pharmacy practice, making an
enormous contribution to pharmacy internationally," Mr Johns said.
"There are almost 320 pharmacy students studying at UniSA each year and over his
career, Professor Sansom has played an important role in the education of the many
thousands of pharmacy professionals working in SA and indeed around the nation and
overseas.
"He has also been a leader in development of a powerful research base for the
school which is internationally renowned for its innovation and quality."
Professor Sansom will be the patron of the new Trust but the active board members will
include representatives from the peak professional bodies in SA – the Pharmacy Guild
of Australia; the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia, the Society of Hospital
Pharmacists, the new Head of the School of Pharmacy. There will also be a member nominated
by UniSA’s Vice Chancellor, two community representatives and a pharmacy student
representative.
The Trust will be established under the umbrella of the University of South Australia
Foundation but will act as a separate entity.
Its mission will be to foster links between the profession, academia, government and
industry in order to improve pharmacy practice in Australia. The Trust will support
academic research, student access and support and professional development activities.
