Amcal Pharmacist Margaret Ruhnau has had a very busy week after being awarded the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) NSW Pharmacist of the Year for 2024. Apart from the dozens of text messages and phone calls she has received, along with the unexpected bunches of flowers arriving at the pharmacy, she is most proud of the reaction from the local First Nations community to the award.

Margaret, who is a pharmacist and co-owner of Emerton Amcal Pharmacy located in the City of Blacktown on the outskirts of Western Sydney, was one of the pharmacy pioneers in Aboriginal health in her area.

She not only embraced the PSA’s Deadly Pharmacists Foundation’s online training course, which teaches pharmacists about Aboriginal and Torres Strait culture and communications skills to assist that community, but twice a week Margaret wears the Deadly Pharmacists’ top in her pharmacy, with its First Nations designs, along with her colleagues.

Margaret believes wearing the top is an expression of solidarity and support for her local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.

“In part, I think this award recognises that we’ve been trying to manage the cultural diversity of our community and embrace it. First Nations people make up about 9-15 per cent of our local community and anything we can do to help with their health and wellbeing, we will undertake,’’ she said.

“The response to my award has been overwhelming. It’s very humbling and exciting and it’s also a credit to the whole pharmacy team. Everyone has completed the Deadly Pharmacists Foundation course. I get a lot of support in my pharmacy. I love my work with the whole community, and they’ve also responded so warmly to the award,’’ she said.

Margaret hopes that one day the Amcal uniform across Australia can include some form of First Nations’ design to recognise the role of First Nations people in Australia.

“I think this award shows the importance of community pharmacy,’’ she said.

When accepting her award, Margaret said: “Pharmacy is a great career. You just have to keep your eyes open and when there’s a need, step in and do it.”  What has motivated Margaret is the idea of never seeing a need without trying to do something about it.

Congratulations Margaret on your well-deserved award!

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