NPS MedicineWise CEO Steve Morris honoured with SHPA’s Fred J Boyd Award for 2019

NPS MedicineWise CEO Adj A/Prof Steve Morris has been honoured at the 45th Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia (SHPA) National Conference with the Fred J Boyd Award.

The SHPA’s most prestigious accolade, the Fred J Boyd award recognises a member who has made a significant contribution to hospital pharmacy in Australia through outstanding achievement impacting public health and patient care.

Adj A/Prof Morris was presented with the award by SHPA President Peter Fowler this morning at the SHPA’s ‘Making Waves’ Medicines Management 2019 event on the Gold Coast.

Since commencing his career in community pharmacy, Adj A/Prof Steve Morris has worked in numerous clinical and management roles within health spanning pharmacy practice including hospital, community, primary care, industry and NGO sectors. His roles as Deputy Chief Executive at the UK’s National Prescribing Centre, and Chief Pharmacist and Executive Director at SA Health preceded his current appointment as CEO of NPS MedicineWise.

In his oration at the National Conference this morning, Adj A/Prof Morris urged all pharmacists to take up the opportunity and obligation to maximise the safe, effective and optimal use of medicines to improve health outcomes.

“Quality use of medicines and medicines safety is everyone’s business, but you can all lead the culture change that is required so that we don’t hear all too often ‘don’t let this happen to anyone else’ – and we need to have consumers front and centre in this change,” he told delegates.

“Whatever your role in pharmacy or healthcare, never tire of asking the ‘why’ question, drive others and yourself to make a positive difference and act when you can… Let’s reflect in the coming years on our success in reducing medication errors and we truly can say we have delivered medication without harm,” he said.

The full oration will be published in an upcoming edition of Pharmacy Growth, Research, Innovation and Training (Pharmacy GRIT), the SHPA’s quarterly member journal.

Adj A/Prof Morris is also presenting a session at Medicines Management 2019 on the new NPS MedicineWise national educational program, ‘Opioids and the bigger picture when treating chronic pain’.

NPS MedicineWise chair and GP, Dr Andrew Knight, says the award is well deserved.

“I congratulate Steve on this accolade from the SHPA, which reflects his commitment to improving patient safety over many years of his pharmacy career,” he said.