The implementation team behind a QUT-led research project to boost vaccination rates has been named 2014's Innovative Pharmacist of the Year.
The Queensland Pharmacist Immunisation Pilot (QPIP) is the result of a successful collaboration between the Queensland Branches of the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia and the Pharmacy Guild of Australia and research partners QUT and JCU.
Between April and September this year, 80 pharmacies across Queensland delivered pharmacist-administered flu vaccinations for adults.
Professor Lisa Nissen, head of the health faculty's clinical sciences school, led the QPIP implementation team with colleagues Chris Campbell, Megan Deldot and Michelle Rosenthal.
More than 10,000 people were vaccinated against the flu during the user-pays program with phase two now well underway.
Professor Nissen said the addition of measles and whooping cough vaccinations has seen another 150 pharmacies join the second stage of the pilot.
"Queensland pharmacists have forged the new frontier on behalf of the profession by participating in the vaccination pilot," said Professor Nissen.
"This pilot has been the first in the country to use pharmacists as vaccinators and now forms the cornerstone of the roll-out of pharmacist-vaccination into other jurisdictions across the country."
The QPIP team was honoured for leading community health interventions and demonstrating new opportunities.
The award was run by the University of Technology Sydney and sponsored by AstraZeneca, which provided the QPIP team with $5000 for professional development.
"Better use of pharmacists as key providers of primary and preventative care in the community is essential for the ongoing management of health needs," Professor Nissen said.
Evaluations from more than 7000 patients involved in stage one of the trial found 97 per cent were happy to receive a flu vaccination in a pharmacy in the future and would recommend the service to others.
UTS Pharmacy Industry Advisory Board member and award judge, Catherine Bronger, said the QPIP project was an obvious choice for the award.
"The results prove that pharmacies can run professional services to a high standard with exceptional outcomes," she said.
"It opens up career paths for pharmacists of which vaccinations will be one of many available fields of speciality that will have a great impact on professional satisfaction."
Media contacts:
Debra Nowland, QUT media officer (Tue/Wed/Thur), 07 3138 1150 or media@qut.edu.au
