In the spotlight with… Adrian Lee

This article is the first in a series where we get to know our Council members. This month, we feature an interview with Adrian Lee, elected local pharmacist member and Deputy President, who was appointed to the Council in 2010.

 

How did you first get involved with the Pharmacy Council?

I was an examiner for the Intern Oral Exams with the old Pharmacy Board of New South Wales (before it became the Council) and sat on a few different committees, which sparked my initial interest in best practice and regulation. From there I was appointed to the Council to fill a casual vacancy and have since been elected as a Council member twice. This is my last term so I will be finishing up with the Council early next year. 

 

Speaking of Council elections, nominations are now open for the next one. Do you have any advice for local pharmacists who are thinking about putting themselves forward?

When you make a decision (about a pharmacist practitioner’s performance) as a Council member, it is important to consider how you (as a fellow pharmacist) would expect a pharmacist to practise as well as how the public expects a pharmacist to act. This consideration must be from an evidence-based and risk management point of view. Then ask yourself, has the pharmacist in question met this expectation or fallen below it?

Also, be prepared for a plethora of pre-reading, as well as brushing up on your report-writing skills!

 

What do you wish other people knew about the Council?

I think there is a perception out there that the Council is a government organisation in the purist sense. People may not realise that Council members have other day jobs and bring a wealth of practical experience (as a pharmacist or otherwise) to their role at the Council. We always consider matters from a real-world, best-practice perspective.

 

When you’re not at the Council, how do you fill in the rest of your week?

I’ve been a community pharmacist for over 25 years. If I’m not at the Council I’m probably in one of my pharmacies (that I co-own) either on the floor with a patient or managing the issue of the day. Working on at the coal-face can be exhausting but very rewarding, and it gives me practical insights into the challenges and demands facing pharmacists day to day.

 

Complete this sentence. “On the weekend, you can find me…”

(Hopefully) on the golf course but most likely driving my children to Taekwondo!