‘A trusted voice’: Duncan McKenzie receives 2022 Medal of Merit
Duncan McKenzie today received the Society of Hospital Pharmacy of Australia (SHPA)’s 2022 Medal of Merit, in recognition of his leadership and innovation in clinical practice and Tasmanian hospital pharmacy governance.
Bestowing the honour at Medicines Management 2022 (MM2022), the 46th SHPA National Conference in Brisbane this afternoon, SHPA President Tom Simpson paid tribute to Duncan, who was recently honoured as 2021 Tasmanian Pharmacist of the Year.
‘Duncan has defined the power of local work for national impact, co-authoring SHPA’s influential Standards of Practice for Clinical Pharmacy Services, and his proposal for the development of an Antimicrobial Stewardship program, approved in 2008, has since been shared with around 50 Australian hospitals.
‘Duncan’s positive influence on the future of our profession in Tasmania is also clear. He was a key driver for the adoption of SHPA Foundation Residencies and Advanced Training Residencies, and essential to the implementation of Partnered Pharmacist Medication Charting (PPMC), an innovation that represents the first example of pharmacist prescribing in Australia and the new frontier of our practice.
‘His role driving the development of the Bedside Medication Management initiative, facilitating the expansion of Pharmacy Technician workforce and scope of practice across the state, is one of the many reasons, I believe, he was selected for his current role as Clinical Adviser to the Premier.’
Mr Simpson described Mr McKenzie as a pharmacist of the highest level of commitment, empathy, and integrity, and spoke of the respect with which Duncan was held by his staff and colleagues.
‘Duncan was critically important to Tasmania’s COVID-19 response, playing a key role working with clinical stakeholders across the state to develop medication pathways to ensure that the right medicines were available to maximise ventilator and ICU capacity.
‘During 2021, he again played a pivotal role in the COVID-19 vaccination program, responsible for accepting the very first shipments of the vaccine and establishing appropriate management, security and distribution within Tasmania.
‘As Clinical Adviser to the Premier he provides a trusted voice, advising on pharmacy scope of practice, vaccination programs, and the role of pharmacy in patient flow and hospital care. He goes
above and beyond in support of patient care, and in support of SHPA and our profession, and he is a truly deserving recipient of this accolade.’
Testimonials in support of the nomination were also provided by Jeremy Rockliff MP, Premier of Tasmania and Minister for Health, and Kathrine Morgan-Wicks, Secretary of the Tasmanian Department of Health.