Seasons’ Greetings

Festive Message 2014 Dear Colleagues and Friends Life goes by so very fast, colleagues, and taking the On behalf of CPS, I would like to wish all of you time to reflect, even once a year, slows things down. that have the privilege of having a break over the We zoom past so many seconds, minutes, hours, with Christmas season a peaceful and joyful time relieved the frantic way we live that it’s important we take at of your rushed life and busy schedules. It was again least time to stop, take stock, and acknowledge our a year that was full of opportunities, which has just place in time before diving back into the frenzy of flown past. We need to sit down and reflect on work our daily lives! 2014 has gone, like the ones before it of the past year. … in a flash! The profession has had some challeng- I sincerely hope that you all have met the goals set es as it will always have and the secret is to look at it out for this year and will be prosperous in 2015 and from the perspective of opportunities and chances be able to utilise all the opportunities coming your that await us! way. Christmas is a very precious time to spend and Many things are thrown our way in this game of enjoy with family and friends. I trust that the mes- life. How you deal with them shows your true char- sage and joy of Christmas will have a special mean- acter. I hope that all of you to feel the hope and pas- ing to you all and wish you all the best for 2015. sion I feel for the upcoming year. I want ALL of you I want to express my gratitude and give recogni- to not only go for your dreams, but have a good time tion to all my colleagues who have put valuable time doing it! and effort into the profession and for assisting me in I wish all of you who are celebrating religious days getting the work of CPS done. that they are blessed and for those that are fortu- KOBUS LE ROUX nate enough to go on holiday, travel safely and come President CPS back refreshed and energised so that we can show the world what pharmacy is about in 2015! To quote TS Elliot… Dear Friends and Colleagues ‘For last year’s words belong to last year’s language As another year comes to a close we may ponder And next year’s words await another voice. all that went by. Some tasks were accomplished and And to make an end is to make a beginning.’ ­others not but we still have opportunities that may JOHANN KRUGER well be converted into achievements in 2015. I would President PSSA like to take this opportunity to wish you one and all a blessed and joyful festive season. If you are going to be travelling at this time, may Dear Friends and Colleagues you return home safely. Once again we have to come to the end of the year DONALD BLACK with so much that we still wanted to do. Though Chairman CPS (CWP) Branch there might have been some lows, the good is what we will take forward from this year and build the fu- ture on. A lot of progress in the pharmacy profes- Greetings to you all! sion has been made in 2014 and much good work It has indeed been a busy time for everyone! has been completed. For this we give our praise to 2014 saw the implementation of the complemen- the Almighty and thank our families, friends and tary medicines regulations which impacts not only colleagues for their support and tireless work. May the industry sector but also the community sector we all experience a peaceful and joyous festive sea- and even health shops. son and come back in 2015 with renewed vigour to As we fast approach the summer season and the convert all our opportunities and challenges into long summer days in the Cape, may you all have achievements. time to take a deep breath, smell the beautiful roses SAREL MALAN and take time out to recharge those batteries. Chairman PSSA CWP Branch Be safe with your loved ones and have safe travels. Come back refreshed for a new year. Season greetings! AADILA PATEL SAAPI SEASON’S GREETINGS continued

As the year rushes towards its end I find that time is more than ever one of my most valuable and scarc- est commodities. I wish there were raw ingredients or a stockpile somewhere from which I could dis- pense, import, withdraw, forage, manufacture or even perhaps grow more time (I’ll even make it or- ganic!). This of course makes me reflect on how well I spent this precious commodity throughout the year when there somehow seemed to be more of it going around. Did I make the most of every second, min- ute and hour? Did I use it for good? How well did I distribute it between the important facets of my life and that of others around me, and did I get that ever important balance right? I hope that most of you can answer yes to majority of these questions, but if not I wish for you a 2015 in which you take a little time to make more time to spend time wisely. To all the PSSA, and especially our SAAHIP mem- bers, may you have a blessed Festive Season filled with joy and loved ones. To our members who celebrate Christmas – may you rejoice in the love of the Lord as you celebrate the birth of his Son. Best wishes (and time well spent) to all SHANI DAMES SAAHIP Chair NOTICE OF AN ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Notice is hereby given of the combined Annual General Meeting of the Cape Western Province Branch of the Pharmaceutical Society of South Africa and the Community Pharmacist Sector (CWP) Branch to be held at Pharmacy House, ‘S’ Block, Greenford Office Estate, Punters Way, Kenilworth on Wednesday, 4 February 2015 at 7:00 pm for 8:00 pm

The meeting will be preceded by a finger supper. Wives, husbands and partners are most welcome, but to facilitate catering, kindly RSVP by Friday 30 January 2015 ELIZE/PAM – TELEPHONE 021 683 7313

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KENNISGEWING VAN ’N ALGEMENE JAARVERGADERING

Hiermee word kennis gegee van die gekombineerde Algemene Jaar­ vergadering van die Kaap Westelike Provinsie Tak van die Aptekers­ vereniging van Suid-Afrika en die Gemeenskapsaptekers Sektor (KWP) Tak wat gehou sal word te Farmasiehuis, ‘S’ Block, Greenford Office Estate, Puntersweg, Kenilworth op Woensdag, 4 Februarie 2015 om 7:00 nm vir 8:00 nm

Die vergadering sal deur ’n vinger ete voorafgegaan word. Gades en metgeselle is baie welkom, maar om verversings te voorsien sal ’n antwoord waardeer word. RSVP teen Vrydag, 30 Januarie 2015 ELIZE/PAM – TELEFOON 021 683 7313 Editorial Bill Bannatyne

The William Paterson Award – an appreciation and some comments

As I was not given an opportunity to speak when I persuaded the committee to create a completely un- received the William Paterson Award, I would like to constitutional position of honorary minute secretary, make use of The Tincture Press to record my apprecia- a position which I held for several years. tion for the presentation and to add some comments. It was on this committee that I first met one of In the first instance, I would like to record my the very real gentlemen of pharmacy, Harold Zets. thanks and appreciation to Dr Finkelstein and some Harold was the leading member of the committee, a other CWP committee members whom I under- past chairman and treasurer of the Pharmacy Board. stand battled for some considerable time to get the I valued his friendship. award reinstated. The PSSA national executive had considered it to be an unnecessary addition to the The Pinelands Pharmacists PSSA awards. I only became aware of the award and When I married, my wife and I settled in South the effort that had been made to reinstate it when ­Africa’s first Garden City, Pinelands, quite close to I received a telephone call from the PSSA presi- Hymie Barnett’s pharmacy and a little further away dent, Johann Kruger, who informed me that I was from that of Ellie Shifrin, who, for many years, was to be presented with the Paterson Award. Further, I the branch secretary. Hymie and I used to travel to- am indebted to Dr Finkelstein for the very detailed gether to PSSA meetings during which I would be presentation which he made as a motion to the PSSA regaled, in his inimitable style, with stories and anec- AGM. It must have involved a considerable amount dotes of the PSSA. One of my daughters, also a phar- of research. He recorded some details of my career macist, ­Susan ­Joubert, did her internship at Barnett’s which I had forgotten about. Pharmacy and told me that he was not only a very I have received many awards from the PSSA all good pharmacist but also a very good businessman.­ of which are appreciated and valued. However, I At this stage I became a long time friend with believe that the greatest award that I have received ­another pharmacist from Pinelands, Gus Muller. is that I got to know, served with and on commit- Gus, a self made man, very down to earth, was the tees led by some of the very great men who, over the type of person who would always come to the fore years, have made the PSSA the premier organisation when problems arose and would put us back on that it is today. Had I not been involved, they would course with his very realistic and practical solutions. have been the soon forgotten names and occasional Another Pineland’s pharmacist whose meteoric SAPJ photographs, equally forgotten. ­career I was witness to was Johan van der Walt. One of the three wholesalers in Cape Town was ­Petersens Early days in the profession whose wholesale and manufacturing plant was situ- When I started my three-year apprenticeship at Bill ated in the centre of Cape Town. Some of their build- James’ pharmacy in Wynberg, a few years after WW2, ings were built in the nineteenth century. there were three other pharmacies, all within a hun- They decided to build a new wholesale and manu- dred metres or so. Symptomatic with those days, facturing plant at Gunner’s Circle. We were informed they all worked in harmony, each with his separate that a pharmacist from Potchefstroom was coming to clientele. The nearest pharmacy belonged to Max the city to run this new development. Johan arrived, Rifkin, past chairman, long-time honorary treas- was immediately elected to the branch committee; urer of the branch and friend of Bill James. I only then, at the first national AGM, onto the PSSA na- joined the PSSA nearly 10 years after I qualified as tional executive and later the Pharmacy Board; a nobody had asked me to join. Max was responsible sojourn out of pharmacy into the chemical industry for getting me elected to the branch committee and and back to pharmacy as head of SAD and president when I did not get the vote in the following year, he of the Pharmacy Board. I always admired Johan’s EDITORIAL continued expertise in summing up a debate which was getting They always sought potential future leaders amongst nowhere and bringing it to a final unanimous deci- their members, nurtured and cultivated them and sion. I also was impressed with his ability in public at the appropriate time projected them into the na- speaking to switch languages in mid sentence with- tional executive and often into the presidency. Ray out a single fault in syntax. Pogir, a future president of the PSSA, a great nego- tiator and diplomat, was one of their candidates. He Interactions with Politicians originated and motivated the campaign which start- A pharmacist whom I served with for a number of ed the PSSA’s anti-drug abuse campaign. years both on the PSSA national executive, the Phar- Carl Schnell and I attended our first meeting as macy Board and its successor, the Pharmacy Council, members of the Pharmacy Board when Peter Don- was Graham Clark. I have often felt that many fellow nelly was elected as president. It was the only meet- pharmacists never quite fully realised, because of his ing of the Board which he chaired as he was killed apparent relaxed, carefree public image, just how in a boating accident a few months later. He was a influential and responsible he was for many of the remarkably well-informed and experienced pharma- developments and successes achieved by organised cist. He was not lacking in courage. He once pub- pharmacy in South Africa. licly castigated a government sick fund which, by I recall being told how, immediately after a Phar- frequently calling for new bids for the exclusive right macy Council election, before the new council had to dispense their members’ prescriptions, drove a actually met, he sought a personal interview with the pharmacist close to bankruptcy and being charged then Minister of Health, Dr Schalk van der Merwe. with fraud and having to appear before the Phar- The interview apparently went like this: macy Board. The sick fund threatened to sue Peter GRAHAM: ‘This newly elected council needs an in- for libel but thought better of it and quietly forgot dustrial pharmacist as one of its members. Will you about the whole incident. please appoint Hugo Snyckers.’ SCHALK: ‘He’s a Prog, isn’t he?’ Alan Walter, Cape Midlands Branch GRAHAM: ‘So what?’ A pharmacist who our branch was closely associated SCHALK: ‘I agree, so what. I will appoint him.’ with was Alan Walter of the Cape Midlands branch. On another occasion, I received a telephone call He was known as the ‘Benign Dictator of Port Eliz- from Carl Schnell, Graham’s friend and support- abeth’. Actually he had no power at all and could er, informing me that he and Graham would be have been out-voted at any time. What he did have ­arriving, by air, in Cape Town, a few days later and was many innovative ideas which benefited his fellow requesting that I collect them at the bus terminal, pharmacists. These included a mutual wholesale, an take them to Parliament for a meeting and take them after-hours service, a very efficient medical aid coor- back to the airport after the meeting. dinating and checking office and a set of rules which The meeting was held in Parliament, in what ap- made all these systems work to the benefit of the peared to be a somewhat dark stairwell. There was no branch. His strength lay in an insistence that every- seating, standing room only. The audience was the one obeyed the rules and those who did not lost out, entire membership of the Progressive Party in Parlia­ regardless of their status or standing. He was a very ment, including Helen Susman and Colin ­Eglin. good musician, fond of waterskiing and a connois- They wanted to know what organised pharmacy’s seur of quality clothing and vintage cars. policies and opinions were on a number of matters. I recall one journey that Wally Arenson and I Graham did most of the talking. I subsequently real- made to PE to explain some of the intricacies of ised why the meeting had been arranged under these the Local Authorities Medical Aid Fund to the Mid- strange circumstances. The then Nationalist govern- lands Branch committee. As Alan was unable to at- ment had let the PSSA know, in no uncertain terms, tend the meeting and we had a few hours to spare that should they have any dealings with the opposi- we decided to visit his pharmacy to enlighten him tion parties and, in particular, with Lawrence Wood, about the fund. Our journey was interrupted when the only pharmacist in Parliament, the Society could we passed a show window of Garlicks displaying la- expect no cooperation from the government. dies silk scarves. Wally decided, there and then, he had to buy one for his wife. In no time the Arenson Natal Coastal Branch charm was firing on all eight cylinders. He quickly Graham was one of the leading lights in the Natal had at least five salesladies in earnest discussion on Coastal Branch of the Society. Whilst it was one of the which scarf he should buy. Half an hour later we pro- smallest branches it was one of the most influential. gressed, together with Mrs Arenson’s scarf, to Alan’s EDITORIAL continued pharmacy which was another revelation. Alan had who did not know him, he could possibly have been taken advantage of two separate disasters which had mistaken for a ­Mafia godfather; he was one of the beset his pharmacy, a flood with water more than a friendliest of men and one of our greatest members. metre deep and a fire which destroyed the building. He had redesigned the pharmacy which specialised Ruby, Ray and others in ranges of high-class cosmetics with a separate dis- I have written in the past about Ruby Birin being pensary, which had a large one way mirror enabling a man of contrasts, coupling very poor health with those in the dispensary to see what was happening bulldog­ determination to get done and accepted in the pharmacy but customers could not look into what he felt should be done. Pharmacy was fortunate the dispensary. Upstairs, he had made provision that Ruby and his predecessor, Ray Pogir, were at for a very good filing system for prescriptions and the helm of the PSSA when the Pharmacy Act came all the other paraphernalia a pharmacy must keep. before Parliament in 1974. Ruby took his entire ex- The only staff member was an elegant lady from the ecutive committee to Cape Town for one week. With famed Port Elizabeth Chinese community. We waited assistance of the, until then, boycotted Lawrence for a few minutes for Alan who, finally, came striding Wood, who introduced them to members on both out of the dispensary dressed in smart grey slacks, sides of the House, the PSSA was able to put their a white shirt and tie and, the pièce de résistance, a case, successfully, that community pharmacies should dark red waistcoat, in complete ambience with his be owned only by pharmacists, thereby keeping the up-market pharmacy. lay ownership caucus at bay for a quarter of a century. A few years later, at a meeting in Johannesburg, I can write about many more pharmacists whom some years before he died, he made a very inter- I met and knew through the PSSA. Men like the esting comment to me which I have pondered on a very talented Alfred Radis, whose life, like Peter number of occasions. He said that he had often won- ­Donnelly’s was cut short before its time or the hard dered whether he had made a mistake by helping to working Andre Sonnekus, the epitome of a good keep too many small pharmacies in Port Elizabeth chairman or an old school friend, Norman Feitel- in existence. berg who founded the Society for the History of Pharmacy. Radis’s contribution to the creation of Julius Israelsohn, bastion of pharmacy DDU has never been acknowledged by the PSSA. I served on both the PSSA national executive and the Pharmacy Council when Julius Israelsohn was The CWP MediKredit team treasurer of both organisations and vice president of I would be very much amiss, however, if I omitted the Council. I have always seen Julius as being the both Gus Ferguson and Wendy Bloom. Without bastion of pharmacy. He joined the profession at an their efforts and industry in managing the CWP older age than most pharmacists. His wife was al- MediKredit office, the branch would, in today’s ready a pharmacist whilst he was engaged in another world, be the poor cousins of the PSSA, existing pursuit but he was probably the most enthusiastic on handouts. In 1979 when Alfred Radis suddenly pharmacist for the profession and the PSSA that I died, Gus Muller stepped into the breach as Alfred have ever met. He was a lifelong collector of phar- was scheduled to be the next branch chairman. Gus maceutical artefacts which he displayed regularly was elected as chairman and asked me to take on in his pharmacy. The collection formed the basis the position of treasurer. This meant I was the mem- of the Gauteng’s Branch’s museum which has been ber responsible for the MediKredit office. By the described by a Pharmintercom gathering in South time this materialised, I found I had inherited an Africa as one of the best pharmacy museums in the organisation in chaos. The ever-increasing number world. He also had a very extensive pharmaceutical of medical aid contracts coupled with an office staff library. Because the early PSSA felt it was too expen- of pensioners, fixed in their ways, had resulted in the sive to have membership of FIP, Julius and Bennie creation of an ever-increasing backlog and a failure Jacobson became members and attended the annual to keep up with payments to the participating phar- conferences at their own expense. Julius created a macies. This created a cash flow problem for many worldwide network of pharmacist friends which ena- pharmacies whose prime activities were medical aid bled him to get up-to-date information on pharma- dispensing. I spent several days with the pensioner ceutical world developments whenever the PSSA was in charge of the daily running of the office, identi- at a loss to know which way forward they should go. fied the areas which were delaying the through flow Benzie Joffe, possibly a little unfairly, gave him the of the checking and reached an agreed plan of ac- nickname of ‘Big Julie’. Whilst in repose, for those tion with him. When I returned two days later to find EDITORIAL continued out how far the rescue plan had progressed, I was William Paterson, the man coolly informed that after I had left, a meeting of In conclusion, at last, I think a few sentences about the staff had rejected the plan and decided to carry William Paterson are indicated. He was still active on exactly as before. I obtained permission from Gus when I attended my first national PSSA AGMs. A Muller to seek the help of the MediKredit head of- small, somewhat shy man, he was always interested fice in Johannesburg to take over our branch’s work in everything the Society was involved in. He was and close our office down. editor of the SAPJ from 1934 to 1946. When I entered our branch office to set this in mo- Probably one of his greatest contributions to the tion, I was confronted by Wendy Bloom. Looking me profession, in those days when over 95% of prescrip- straight in the eye, without any preliminaries, she tions had to be compounded by pharmacists from blurted, ‘If you pay these people, I will reorganise this their basic ingredients, was a very scientifically re- office for you.’ Actually, she is much shorter than I am searched dispensing tariff. This enabled a phar- so she had to look up. The effect, however, was the macist, by merely locating the type of product and same. A brilliant pharmacist from a brilliant family, either its mass or volume, to obtain the recommend- she and Gus Ferguson, at that stage only the branch ed dispensing fee. The cost of ingredients was mini- director, ran the office until the sale of MediKredit. mal and practically all fell within a very small bracket The branch share of the sale of MediKredit, cou- of cost. The pharmacist was therefore rewarded for pled with the financial genius of Natie Finkelstein his knowledge, skill and time. Mr. Paterson was very has placed the branch in a reasonably secure posi- proud of the fact that during WW2 the government tion to meet most of its obligations. Up until then, price controller had approved his tariff chart with- Wendy and her sister-in-law had been employed, sit- out comment. A probably totally untrue rumour was ting at a table just big enough to hold a small vase whispered around pharmacy that the price control- of flowers, to check the more difficult prescriptions. ler had, later, confessed to a friend that he had been Gus, a world recognised poet and brilliant cartoonist visited by this small Scotsman who spoke in such a amongst other things, and Wendy ran the office for broad Scottish accent that he could not understand years, without the trappings of private secretaries or a single word that he was saying. He decided, how- company cars, with a friendly and cooperative staff, ever, that as Mr Paterson presented such an image of mostly ladies from the famous and historic Cape Ma- integrity, honesty and earnestness that whatever he lay suburb of Bo-Kaap. I was always fascinated to see was asking for must be in order so he approved it, a room full of veiled ladies industriously checking notwithstanding! prescriptions. The last I heard of Wendy, she was ap- Possibly, the current PSSA national executive parently in India doing the practical section of an committee might have erred in trying to cancel the MBA course from Jerusalem University. ­William Paterson Award?‡ FROM THE DIRECTOR’S DESK

Is it all about the money, what about pharmaceutical care?

The Christmas season is supposed to be marked Adding to Turnover by peace and goodwill to all humankind. While we Perhaps the answer lies in the example set by at least do witness some remarkable acts of charity at this one corporate-style pharmacy group whose CEO time, sadly, like many other religious celebrations, regularly proclaims publicly that they would like a Christmas has been largely turned into a commer­ dispensary in each of their stores because, in those cial ­opportunity by many in the retail sector. The stores where there is a pharmacy, the store does 15% airwaves in shopping centres are dominated by more turnover. This amounts to a public declara­ Christmas carols blasted out to the latest beat of tion that they are simply using pharmacy to draw pop bands or rappers, and shop windows and news­ more feet into their stores. To achieve this, this cor­ paper supplements are stuffed with adverts luring porate chain contracts to medical aids at unsustain­ ­people to part with their hard-earned bonuses to buy able dispensing fee rates. The medical aids lap this the latest gadgets now available as ‘Xmas specials!’ up and then use this group as a ‘designated service Worse still are those ads tempting you to abandon provider’, driving even more feet into the store. In your perfectly good motor vehicle in favour of the these circumstances, dispensing is driven by the su­ latest model on an ‘easy’ payment scheme with no permarket philosophy of low price and large vol­ deposit and the first instalment only due in a few umes. Pharmacists are monitored as to how many months time! prescriptions they dispense daily and this is used as Unfortunately, I must also report on how some a measure of their ‘productivity’ with little regard for people appear to consider the supply of medicine as the quality of the professional pharmaceutical care just another commercial commodity to be sold with provided. Sadly, others emulate this model, leading little or no regard for the principles of pharmaceuti­ to a further deterioration in the provision of phar­ cal care. maceutical care to large groups of patients. It is widely acknowledged that good service rather The Custodian of Medicine than price is essential for sustainable business. Bear­ The introduction to Good Pharmacy Practice ing in mind the stringent conditions under which specifies: ‘All practising pharmacists are obliged to ensure scheduled medicine must be supplied, it is disturb­ that the service they provide is of high quality and complies ing to see how scheduled medicine is being price- with Good Pharmacy Practice Standards as published by promoted to the public. Council in rules.’ According to the underlying philosophy of GPP, a Promotion of Codeine Painkillers and Ritalin pharmacist is expected to be: ‘the custodian of medi- Can there be any justification for regularly price cine’, the ‘adviser on the safe, rational and appropriate promoting codeine-compound painkillers in packs use of medicine;’ and, ‘a provider of pharmaceutical care of 100? The Community Pharmacists Sector of the by taking responsibility for the therapeutic outcome of ther- PSSA has been struggling to get sufficient buy-in for apy and by being actively involved in the design, imple- its Codeine Care Initiative and will continue to do so mentation and monitoring of an effective pharmaceutical if codeine-compound painkillers are treated as just service.’ another product to be price-promoted to the public. In the Pharmacist’s Oath, pharmacists undertake Little wonder the MCC has given notice to change ‘to uphold the profession of pharmacy as the custodian of the schedules to restrict the pack size, quantities and medicine, and regard medicine as the instrument entrust- strengths of codeine-containing painkillers. Unfor­ ed to me to protect and improve the quality of life.’ Why tunately, if pharmacy does not clearly demonstrate then, despite their knowledge of medicine and the that it can exercise proper control over the supply support of the law, do some pharmacists treat medi­ of these S2 medicines in accordance with the regu­ cine as just another commercial item to be sold at lations, the authorities will probably put them into the lowest price, in the largest volumes to as many a prescription-only category, depriving responsible ­people as possible? pharmacists of an effective treatment modality. FROM THE DIRECTOR’S DESK continued

Another example of price promotion of medicine When a S2 medicine is prescribed by a doctor, the to the public, which caused a wave of protest from doctor assumes the responsibility for ‘risk assess­ colleagues, was the price promotion in local news­ ment’ i.e. the doctor bears the responsibility of as­ papers of the S6 medicine, Ritalin. Now we all know sessing the risks and benefits to the patient posed that the main use of this product is for the treatment by the S2 medicine with the resultant decision based of ADHD, especially in children. This is a condition on whether the potential benefits justify the risks. that requires accurate diagnosis and careful moni­ In dispensing the prescription according to the re­ toring. To try to lure a patient away from his regu­ quirements of GPP, the pharmacist accepts the re­ lar pharmacy to another by merely offering a better sponsibility of risk minimisation, i.e. assessing the price, smacks of disregard for the pharmaceutical prescription for correctness, appropriateness to care that is involved in monitoring these patients, the particular patient, counselling the patient in disrespect for colleagues and trivialising the phar­ the correct use of the medicine and monitoring the macist/patient relationship. Colleagues who con­ outcome. However, in pharmacist-initiated therapy, tacted me about this complained that it was ‘a cheap the pharmacist accepts the responsibility of both risk shot, unprofessional, touting and irresponsible’. assessment and risk minimisation. To therefore imply A recent newspaper supplement of a pharmacy that the sale of S2 medicine merely requires the re­ chain price-promoted S2 medicines under the head­ cording of some personal details can considered to ing: ‘Self Medication, No Need for a Script, Just your be misleading of the public and demeaning of the Details.’ profession.

S2 on Patient Request! My Christmas Wish This unfortunate wording gives the impression that I do know, of course, that business policy decisions the sale of S2 medicines is a question of patient re­ are made at a board level and that individual RPs quest, no pharmacist intervention and merely a re­ have little or no influence on such decisions. That cording process. In reality, the regulations regarding is why it is so important for pharmacists who are at the supply, advertising and recording the sale of S2 the head of large pharmacy groups to be members of medicines are the same as S3 and S4 except that a the Society and be assured of its support in helping pharmacist may initiate the supply of a S2 them to influence such policies. My Christ­ medicine. The record to be kept for the sale mas wish then is that pharmacists be given of S2 medicines requires the same patient in­ the opportunity to exercise pharmaceutical formation whether it be on prescription or as care according to their training and calling, pharmacist-initiated therapy. and not be undermined by others who wish In fact, the supply of S2 medicine by a to denigrate medicines to an ordinary com­ pharmacist as part of PIT is an important modity of trade and/or use pharmacy and part of pharmaceutical care and involves medicine as bartering stock for selfish com­ the pharmacist in additional responsibilities. mercial purposes.‡ Annual General Meeting SAAHIP Western Cape Branch and Pharmacist of the Year Award dinner

A successful AGM was held on 31 October 2014 • Regional and Pharmacy Service Managers of at Pharmacy House at which Shani Dames was re- PGWC elected as the Chairperson. The guest speaker for • Branch Director Mr Black and his staff the evening was the Deputy President of the PSSA, Prof Sarel Malan. He had a special word of welcome and thanks for the Other committee members elected were: representatives of the sponsors. Vice Chair Colleen Whitelaw After an address by Prof Malan, members en- Treasurer Rene Lakey joyed an excellent meal prepared by Bayley’s Ca- Secretary Leonard Liddell terers. Colleen Whitelaw introduced the nominees Committee members for the Pharmacist of the Year Award, by means Nicola Ball of a short presentation Bhavna Harribhai on the highlights of the Joggie Hattingh work and achievements of Arun Patel each nominee. The guest Shenaaz Raman of honour, Prof Malan, Margaret von Zeil handed over the prizes. The winner was Sorina The AGM was followed by a dinner at which the Jaftha (Worcester CDC SAAHIP WC Pharmacist of the Year Award was Pharmacy), 1st runner-up made. Aleta Wege (Helderberg The master of ceremonies, Joggie Hattingh wel- Hospital) and 2nd run- comed all, especially the Deputy President, all past ner-up Donovan Hopkins Chairpersons, and: (Khayelitsha Hospital). • Mr Kobus le Roux, President of CPS The evening was concluded with a special word of • Ms Shani Dames, Chairman SAAHIP (WC) Branch thanks by Mr Hattingh to Prof Malan and invited • Mr Donald Black, Chairman of CPS (CWP) Branch guests for attending, Colleen Whitelaw for the pres- • Ms Kim Lowenherz, Director: Pharmacy Services entations, the judges, nominees and their proposers, • Ms Helen Hayes, Head: Pharmacy Services and the sponsors.—GSB Photos: Tracey Wichman Photos: Tracey Tincture Press Classifieds at your service

All classified advertisements are free of charge to members of the PSSA BUT only one insertion. Repeats have to be advised by the 10th of each month. Contact Elize Fick at TELEPHONE 021 683 7313 or FAX 021 683 5759 to place your advertisements.

Advertisements from pharmacists seeking permanent/locum positions only accepted with CV. Blank CV forms are available from the PSSA CWP branch office. Copies of these CVs are kept in a confidential file at the PSSA CWP Branch offices and are available on request to those members seeking to employ a pharmacist. This service is free to PSSA members. Non-members may be required to pay a small sum to cover costs.

PHARMACIST REQUIRED/APTEKER BENODIG Excellent opportunity for a business orientated pharmacist to join a well-established Email a detailed CV to group of retail pharmacies in Hermanus. brenda@hermanuspharmacy. co.za

Full time qualified pharmacist position available at Grabouw Pharmacy Western Cape. An Contact Conrad Snyman interest in primary healthcare will be a bonus. Tel 021 859 3383 Cell 082 376 8817

A vacancy is available for a full-time community pharmacist in Beaufort West. A competi- Contact Pieter Senekal tive, negotiable salary as well as a friendly working environment is offered. Tel 023 414 2152 Cell 082 783 1425

Quenets Apteek is geleë in die pragtige Bolandse dorp, Worcester. Ons bied ’n uitstekende Kontak Anton of George geleentheid aan vir ’n apteker. Tel 023 347 0844 of Epos [email protected]

LOCUM AVAILABLE Locum pharmacist available for weekdays after 4pm – Northern, Southern Suburbs or Contact Mohammed on Cape Town Central. Cell 082 721 1412

PHARMACIST AVAILABLE Experienced pharmacist seeks a part-time Monday–Friday permanent position in the Contact Maureen Southern Suburbs (Cape Town), from January 2015. Tel 021 794 6176 Cells 083 700 6282

INTERNSHIP REQUIRED An academic 4th year student pharmacy at UWC seeks an internship for 2015. ­Areas: Contact Sameena Jable Woodstock, ­Athlone, Mowbray, Rondebosch, Claremont, Newlands, Wynberg, Ottery, Tel: 021 633 5424 Parow, Goodwood orMitchells Plain. Cell: 071 270 0778 Email: [email protected] [email protected]