Latest news with #SamTurner
ABC News
a day ago
- Health
- ABC News
'Ambitious' plan could see 80 per cent of pharmacists able to diagnose health conditions
As a prescribing pharmacist, Sam Turner is able to treat certain conditions and illnesses without his patients needing to visit a GP. In Queensland, the treatment of some conditions — including uncomplicated urinary tract infections, ear infections, acne, psoriasis, and school sores — can be managed by trained pharmacists after a pilot program was made permanent earlier this year. On Wednesday, the Pharmacy Guild of Australia announced its ambition to have 80 per cent of community pharmacists across the country able to offer additional services, including examining, diagnosing and treating health conditions by 2035. Mr Turner, who runs a community pharmacy in Brisbane, undertook a post graduate pharmacy prescribing course through James Cook University. "The training has not only improved my skills as a clinician but has also reshaped the way I approach most clinical conversations in the pharmacy," he said. "With those acute conditions — whether it's shingles, school sores or even mild to moderate eczema or psoriasis — a lot of patients come in and they need treatment straight away. "We're able to at least provide them with an immediate diagnosis and treatment and then referral if required." With the correct training, pharmacists are also able to prescribe hormonal contraception. The level of service a pharmacy can offer varies depending on the state and territory. Professor Trent Twomey, the Pharmacy Guild of Australia national president, would like to see more "harmonisation" across the country. "The Toward 2035 strategic plan involves turning Australia's 6,000 community pharmacies into primary healthcare hubs... saving the Australian healthcare system $5.1 billion annually," Professor Twomey said. He said internal modelling done by the guild suggested the changes would significantly ease pressures across health systems. In a statement, the guild said modelling showed its plan would free up 52,000 hours at emergency departments and save 6.5 million GP consultations. Professor Twomey says 75 per cent of Australians live within two-and-a-half kilometres of a pharmacy. "It makes sense that pharmacists step up, take on more clinical responsibilities to ease pressure on public hospitals and GP clinics across the country," he said. "These are common sense reforms where safe, affordable healthcare can be provided more easily and more effectively through more access points. Not all practitioners agree this approach will have the desired effect. Dr Michael Clements, the rural chair of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, is less than impressed. He said prescribing pharmacists in North Queensland — where it was first trialled — hadn't alleviated pressures on rural and regional general practitioners. "The promise or the hope was that [if] overrun GPs couldn't possibly squeeze in anybody, [a patient] that needed to urgently be seen could go next door to the pharmacy," Dr Clements said. "The only places this was offered has been in bigger city centres and in urban centres. In the pharmacies near me, it was only offered during [on weekdays] when a particular pharmacist might be rostered on." He said urgent care clinics and government incentives to get more doctors into general practice training meant the GP shortage was improving. "The main thing that's really impacting us as GPs is tidying up the messes when [patients] have seen a pharmacist and there's been a mistake," Dr Clements said. He said has seen multiple instances where a patient who had sought treatment at a pharmacy had been misdiagnosed, including one who was treated for a urinary tract infection but had a sexually transmitted infection. Dr Clements said in another case a patient was treated with steroid cream but had shingles. "When you teach people a small number of diseases and you give them a toolkit that only treats a small number of things, patients are at risk," he said. "[There's potential for] confirmation bias where the pharmacist chooses the wrong treatment because they haven't seen anything else before. They haven't had an apprenticeship and they haven't had supervision. Dr Clements said pharmacists' access to patients' medical history was limited. For instance, they can't test urine and blood, so they may misdiagnose a condition or miss something that is underlying. But the guild's Professor Twomey said the objectives of the plan weren't to replace GPs, but help free up doctors for more complicated cases. "It doesn't matter if Australians want to ask their GP, ask their pharmacist or ask their nurse, as long as the treatment they are being provided is in accordance with the same Australian therapeutic guidelines and the practitioner is treating them to the same level of care," he said. "Unfortunately there is enough sickness to go around. If we are able to achieve all our ambitions in this plan... it frees up our precious GPs to deal with those more complicated cases." Queensland Health Minister Tim Nicholls says the government has put $1.5 million into training subsidies to allow an additional 230 pharmacists to complete further training. He said the government had fulfilled its election commitment by making the treatment of a range of acute conditions from the pilot program a permanent service of prescribing pharmacists.
CNA
26-06-2025
- Business
- CNA
Musk calls Lebanese president as Starlink seeks license
BEIRUT :Billionaire businessman Elon Musk and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun spoke by phone to discuss making elements of Musk's sprawling business empire available in Lebanon, a statement from Aoun's office said on Thursday. The statement said Musk called Aoun and "expressed his interest in Lebanon and its telecommunications and internet sectors". Aoun invited Musk to visit Lebanon and said he was open to having Musk's companies present in the country, which ranks among the countries with the lowest internet speeds. The call came just weeks after Aoun and other top Lebanese officials met with Starlink's Global Director of Licensing and Development, Sam Turner, in Beirut for talks on providing satellite internet services in Lebanon. U.S. ambassador Lisa Johnson was pictured attending those meetings. The negotiations have prompted some pushback in Lebanon. Internet access in the country has so far been operated exclusively by state-owned companies and their affiliates, who are lobbying the government not to license Starlink.
Al Arabiya
26-06-2025
- Business
- Al Arabiya
Elon Musk expresses interest in Lebanon's telecoms and internet sectors
Elon Musk expressed interest in doing business in Lebanon during a call with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Thursday, according to a readout of the call. Elon Musk's Starlink and the Lebanese government said they were discussing making the internet service available in the country last month after Aoun met with Starlink's Global Director of Licensing and Development, Sam Turner. During their call Thursday, Aoun invited Musk to Beirut. The latter said he would consider visiting as soon as possible after expressing interest in Lebanon's telecommunications and internet sectors. Aoun's office stated that the president welcomed the idea and affirmed Lebanon's readiness to provide the necessary facilitation within the country's legal and regulatory framework. Lebanon is years behind in internet and telecommunications services and had been one of the most expensive countries to purchase mobile data plans. Years of corruption and wasteful spending led to a major deficit and public debt.
Irish Post
03-06-2025
- Business
- Irish Post
Irish tech firm will invest £1.8m in cyber security initiative
A BELFAST based tech firm has announced an investment of nearly £2m into a cyber security initiative for the manufacturing sector. Angoka has confirmed it will support the development of a world leading cyber security solution for the industry with funding of £1.8m. The COSMIC (Cybersecurity for Operational Systems in Manufacturing and Industrial Control) initiative promises to deliver a solution to protect organisations from the threat of cyber-attacks due to the digitalisation of manufacturing systems. It is currently being developed in partnership with the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre (AMIC) and with financial support from Invest NI. (l-r) Sam Turner, CEO of AMIC, Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald, Steve Berry, ANGOKA Chairman and Dr Vicky Kell, Director of Innovation, Research and Development at Invest NI Founded in 2019, Angoka has developed technology that allows machines to communicate securely without interference from hackers and cyber security threats. 'With cyber threats growing in both scale and sophistication, demand for solutions that protect online devices has surged across the globe,' Angoka Chairman, Steve Berry said. 'COSMIC is a reaction to the growing need for cyber security adoption in the advanced manufacturing sector due to the detrimental impact any breaches could have on the operational resilience of manufacturing facilities,' he added. 'Our new solution will allow us to expand our core offering and achieve ambitious growth targets. 'It will be designed for ease of deployment both on existing and new manufacturing equipment. 'This seamless deployment will be a key enabler for breaking into new markets across the globe.' Northern Ireland's Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald announced Angoka's investment this week. 'This investment by Angoka will help increase productivity, create good jobs, and boost innovation across two of our priority sectors - cyber security and advanced manufacturing,' she said. 'It is the result of collaboration between government, academia and the private sector and it has been enabled by the City and Growth Deal which established the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre,' the minister added. 'So this announcement is a great example of our economic strategy paying dividends.' Over the next two years AMIC will support the development of the COSMIC solution through product testing, identification of target customers for commercial deployments and acting as a point of contact with industry groups. 'AMIC is at the heart of the innovation support system for Northern Ireland manufacturing,' AMIC CEO Sam Turner said. 'Led by Queen's University in partnership with industry, Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council and Ulster University, we support our industrial clients in transforming processes and introducing new cutting-edge innovative products,' he added. 'With our new Factory-of-the-Future opening in 2026 and our mission to drive growth, competitiveness and innovation, the AMIC team is delighted to support Angoka with this project.' See More: Angoka, Belfast, Cosmic, Cybersecurity, Manufacturing
The Irish Sun
31-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- The Irish Sun
Cheap £9 buy will instantly elevate your garden – it adds privacy and enhances your plants
IF you're getting your garden ready for summer, this feature may be worth adding. You can pan out in peace with no worries of nosy neighbours with this budget buy. 2 Adding the Smart Garden Climbing Plant & Fencing Mesh to your garden can improve your privacy Credit: Sam Turner And even if your outdoor space isn't overly exposed, this item is still worth your time. It will instantly elevate the look of your garden as well as adding privacy to your space. So whether you enjoy lying out in the sun or dining al fresco, this buy may be for you. The You can choose between green or brown designs with the size options 0.5 metres by five metres or one metre by five metres. The fencing is made of "strong UV-stabilised rigid plastic" with "easy to cut" mesh. According to manufacturers, this "can be used in a variety of ways to enhance your garden". It is said to provide "sturdy support for climbing plants, against walls or arches". Most read in Fabulous Gardening experts recommended climbing plants to create a natural barrier in your backyard. The pros at I made a DIY fence for £68 with pallets from Facebook Marketplace - it gives more privacy & people say it's 'fantastic' Instead of opting for tired hedging, they recommended gardeners "consider screening off areas within your backyard using shrubs or climbing plants as opposed to blocking your whole boundary". They suggested ivy, jasmine, clematis, and roses for "maximum screening power without creating an overly boxed-in look". Another How to create privacy in your garden CREATING privacy in your garden can be achieved in a number of ways depending on your budget, and the size of your space. Here are some effective ways to enhance privacy in your garden: 1. Fencing Install a tall, solid wooden or vinyl fence. This is one of the most straightforward ways to gain immediate privacy. Or use lattice panels, trellis, or slatted fencing to add a decorative touch while still offering privacy. 2. Hedges and Plants Fast-growing evergreen shrubs or trees like Leylandii, Thuja, or Bamboo along the boundary of your garden can help with privacy. Grow a dense hedge using plants like Boxwood, Privet, or Laurel. It may take time to grow, but it provides a natural and green privacy screen. Use climbers like Ivy, Clematis, or Wisteria on fences or trellises to create a lush, green privacy barrier. 3. Outdoor Curtains Hang outdoor curtains around pergolas, gazebos, or patios for an easy-to-adjust privacy solution. 4. Sound Barriers A water fountain or small waterfall can help drown out noise, adding to the sense of privacy. Or install fencing designed to reduce noise if privacy from sound is also a concern. And a £10 B&M You can also And its not just fences that can help give you privacy in your garden, one Meanwhile, a Home Bargains buy is said to Read more on the Irish Sun And a £10 B&M You can also 2 Climbing plants can create natural barriers in your garden during the summer (stock image) Credit: Getty
