18 June, 2007

Dr Roger Boyd, Chairman of National Prescribing Service Limited (NPS) has today congratulated Dr Stephen Phillips, for receiving the Order of Australia Medal in this year’s Queen’s Birthday honors.  

Dr Phillips was a founding member of NPS and the inaugural Chairman from 1999. A key contributor to Quality Use of Medicines (QUM) in Australia, Dr Phillips has held memberships of the Australian Pharmaceutical Advisory Council, the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee and is a former member of the Therapeutic Goods Committee.

“Dr Phillips was always committed to promoting quality health care and as a GP has worked tirelessly to advance that cause,” said Dr Boyd. “I am delighted that his enormous contributions to the medical profession, the community and especially his role in promoting, implementing and practicing quality use of medicines (QUM) has been recognised by the well earned and much deserved award of OAM. He has contributed to public health nationally through his efforts to ensure appropriate use of medicines, which is a key aim of Australia’s National Medicines Policy.”

Recently retired from his role of Chair at NPS and based in Queensland Dr Phillips received the award for service to the medical profession and the community as an advocate for public health issues and as a promoter of the safe and effective use of medicines, particularly through the NPS.

“I do feel very privileged to have had the opportunity to be involved in this work and to have worked with so many wonderfully talented and dedicated people along the way,” said Dr Phillips. “It is so fantastic to have NPS and QUM recognized in this way.”

Dr Boyd also congratulated Dr Alan Bruce Chater, OAM, who served as an alternate member of the Board of NPS; Associate Professor John Andrew Gullotta, AM, who served as a member of NPS’s Australian Prescriber advisory editorial panel and Prescribing Intervention Working Group; Dr Peter Mansfield, OAM, who supports QUM and ethical pharmaceutical marketing; and Mr Warwick Wilkinson AO, who has been recognised for his contributions to the pharmacy profession and the pharmaceutical industry.

ENDS

National Prescribing Service Limited (NPS) is an independent, non-profit organisation for Quality Use of Medicines funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing.