Being a member of the PSA's Self Care group has been an integral part of the pharmacy business which has led to South Australian pharmacist Lewis Pounentis being named the State's PSA Pharmacist of the Year.

Mr Pounentis is a pharmacist proprietor and has more than 15 years' experience in community pharmacy and is renowned for his passion of providing all of his customers, both old and new, with the highest levels of customer service and advice - on all healthrelated matters.

He also is an accredited pharmacist and certified diabetes educator providing professional and compounding services to his local community. In 2009, his pharmacy was named the winner of the 2009 Australian Small Business Champion (Best Pharmacy Category).

"It was an honour to be awarded the 2010 PSA South Australian Pharmacist of the Year," he said.

"I have practised as a community pharmacist since 1991 - then owning my first pharmacy in 1997. From that first day, Self Care has been an integral part of my pharmacies.

"I began specialising in specific health conditions in 2002 - commencing with Smoking Cessation and then Diabetes. My Payneham Road Chemplus Compounding pharmacy now specialises in (as the name suggests) Compounding as well as Diabetes Care, Sleep Apnoea testing and CPAP trials and provision of pharmacy services to Aged Care facilities."

In 2009, Mr Pounentis completed a Post Graduate Diploma in Diabetes, thus also becoming a Certified Diabetes Educator.

"Self Care Fact Cards allow me to provide that extra support to my customers as part of an individualised health care plan," Mr Pounentis said.

"I find the Self Care Fact Cards are extremely useful in my role as a Certified Diabetes Educator, especially when discussing the condition with customers who are newly diagnosed.

"Self Care Fact Cards are an extremely useful resources and I would highly recommend subscribing to Self Care for those pharmacies that currently don't."

Source:
Pharmaceutical Society of Australia