28 July 2023
The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) proudly announces Canberra pharmacist Elise Apolloni as the 2023 PSA Symbion Pharmacist of the Year.
Elise Apolloni MPS is the co-owner of Capital Chemist Wanniassa, in the Australian Capital Territory. Under her leadership, Capital Chemist Wanniassa has grown into an extended hours pharmacy offering more than 40 professional services tailored to the unique needs of her community.
Whether through social media or community open days, Elise and her team are constantly finding new ways to connect with the community. Realising the hardship that members of her community were experiencing, Elise launched the Capital Chemist Wanniassa Food Pantry and Book Library for local families in need. She has also lobbied local government to install a secure sharps disposal bin to facilitate safe sharps disposal and harm minimisation in her local community.
Elise invests in her education well above what is usually expected of a pharmacist, including as a Credentialled Diabetes Educator, a Licensed Mental Health First Aid Instructor and advocate, a volunteer crisis support counsellor, and an asthma educator. On top of these qualifications, Elise is also a Heart Foundation Health Professional Ambassador, and ambassador for local charity PANDSI, supporting women experiencing post-natal depression.
Presenting the award at PSA’s National Conference PSA23 in Sydney this morning, National President Dr Fei Sim congratulated Ms Apolloni on her achievements.
“PSA is proud to name Elise as Pharmacist of the Year 2023, recognising years of passion, dedication, and leadership in pharmacy practice,
“Elise and her team take such pride in caring for their local community. Every service is tailored to meet the needs of the community.
“I am aware that pharmacists who have worked closely with Elise have all spoken highly of Elise’s intelligence, tenacity and team spirit.” Dr Sim said.
Media contact: Georgia Clarke M: 0480 099 798 E: georgia.clarke@psa.org.au
The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia is the only national peak body that represents all of Australia’s 36,000 pharmacists across all practice settings. We want every Australian to have access to the best healthcare, and this must include optimising access to pharmacists’ knowledge and medicines expertise at the forefront of our healthcare system.
