State's top pharmacist
CAROLINE
HORN - Victor Harbor Times
11/09/2008 9:51:00 AM
VICTOR HARBOR - Hayborough Pharmacy's Justin Turner has been named as the
2008 South Australian Pharmacist of the Year.
Justin was presented with his award at a ceremony held in Adelaide on Monday
night by Grant Kardarchi, the president of the SA Branch of the
Pharmaceutical Society of Australia.
"Justin's work is a great example of how pharmacists play an important role
as integral members of the health-care team," Mr Kardarchi said. "He shows
outstanding commitment to professional pharmacy services."
"It's an honour," said Justin. "Especially with an award like this, which is
judged by your peers."
Justin graduated from the University of South Australia in 1998 and started
his professional career at the Flinders Medical Centre. He then worked at
the Flinders Private Hospital before embarking on a working holiday in
England and Scotland, with his wife Neri.
On returning to South Australia they decided to make the move to Victor
Harbor.
"We saw there were a lot of opportunities for health professionals down
here," Justin explained. "Both for me, as a pharmacist, and Neri, as an
occupational therapist."
With his business partners, Brian Wiltshire and Michele Rowett, he opened
the Pharmacy Plus Hayborough Pharmacy four years ago.
"Many people don't understand all that a pharmacist does," Justin said.
"Many think that we just stick labels on bottles."
"But with my background in hospital pharmacies I wanted to build the shop
around professional services, not just the retail aspect.
"As a compounding pharmacist I spend a lot of time making up creams,
capsules, lozenges and suppositories from scratch."
Justin is also a member of the local Medicine Advisory Committee and the
South Coast District Hospital's Drug and Therapeutics Committee.
Combined with his work conducting sleep apnoea tests and treatment, home
medicine reviews for community customers and residents of the Ross Robertson
and Sandpiper Nursing Homes, this makes for a busy life.
"I need to thank Neri for putting up with the long hours I work," he said.
"And my staff because I couldn't do it without them."
"I also want to thank the GPs on the South Coast, who have embraced new
trends in pharmacy and a multi-disciplinary approach to patient care."
(Article used with the permission of Victor Harbor’s The Times newspaper.)
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