John Daffey, long-time National President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia, who died this week will be remembered for his commitment and dedication to the profession he loved.
National President of the Pharmacy Guild of Australia, Trent Twomey, said Mr Daffey left a strong legacy and would always be an inspiration for all pharmacists in Australia.
"He had the task of being the PSA representative on the Third Community Pharmacy Agreement negotiating committee and was charged with representing the interests of his broad membership in what was to be a watershed agreement," Professor Twomey said.
"Eventually the Third Agreement set out the basis on how Australian pharmacy would operate moving forward in providing timely access to affordable medications, with appropriate advice and service, to all Australians.
"This was an agreement that lifted community pharmacy to a new level.
"The introduction of professional services, and the allocation of substantial funding, was one of the early steps in the battle for pharmacists to be able to use the skills and expertise they have been trained for.
"John Daffey recognised the importance of this evolution and worked tirelessly with the agreement negotiating committee to achieve the very positive outcomes that were embedded in the Third Agreement and successive agreements."
National President of the Guild at the time of the signing of that agreement, John Bronger, said Mr Daffey had been a stalwart in negotiating for the profession.
"He was outstanding as a negotiator, as a pharmacist and as a representative for his members. His strength lay in his pragmatism and his commitment to further developing the profession. The esteem in which he was held by the profession was reflected in the fact that although he was a Victorian, he was recognised by the Sydney University Practice Foundation for making an outstanding contribution to pharmacy professional development. On a personal level, he was a great guy."
Former Guild National President Colin Johns said Mr Daffey was fine man and gentleman in every respect. "I dealt with him in the 1980s and 1990s and he was always professional and pleasant to deal with in every way. He was a credit to the PSA and will be greatly missed by all his colleagues and those who worked with him."
