18 August 2021
Pharmacy Assistant National Conference postponed due to COVID-19
Due to the on-going COVID-19 outbreaks and extended lockdowns in New South Wales, Victoria and the ACT, The Pharmacy Guild of Australia today announced that this year’s Pharmacy Assistant National Conference (PA Conference) is being postponed until 28-29 October 2022.
The PA Conference, which was due to take place in Brisbane on 22-23 October 2021, is an annual national conference which provides pharmacy assistants with a forum to gain product knowledge, professional development and management skills and to learn from the sharing of knowledge and experiences.
Acting President for The Pharmacy Guild of Australia, Queensland Branch, Mr. Chris Owen, said that while the decision was difficult to make it is the right one to protect attendee health and safety.
“With New South Wales, Victoria, ACT and parts of the NT in lockdown and with pharmacy assistants from other states unable to enter Queensland, the conference could not be run as a national event,” Mr Owen said.
“Pharmacy assistants are playing a vital frontline role supporting communities during these lockdowns, and many are supporting pharmacist immunisers with COVID-19 vaccination administration to protect Australians.”
“These activities are taking precedence in community pharmacy at the moment and we thank all pharmacy assistants for their hard work.”
“We are saddened this is the second year in a row that COVID-19 has prevented pharmacy assistants from being able to meet safely at the PA Conference but look forward to hosting an even bigger and better PA Conference in 2022.”
In the meantime, pharmacy assistants looking for other education and networking opportunities should consider attending APP2022, which will be held 24-27 March on the Gold Coast. “APP provides some amazing opportunities for pharmacy assistants including free access to over 200 suppliers at Australia’s largest pharmacy trade exhibition,” Mr. Owen said.
Thanks to the refund guarantee, pharmacy assistants already registered to attend this year’s PA Conference will now receive a full refund and will be contacted by Guild events. For any questions please email [email protected] or phone 07 3831 3788.
