SETU hosts pharmacy education and networking event
Pictured at the Pharmacy and Networking event were Claire Lennon, Prof. Veronica Campbell, Catriona Bradley and Larry Fitzhenry. Photograph: Patrick Browne
South East Technological University (SETU) recently welcomed pharmacists, academics, researchers and allied healthcare professionals to its second annual Pharmacy Education and Networking Event, held on the Cork Road Campus in Waterford.
Titled ‘Selfcare, Wellness and Resilience in Pharmacy’, the event brought together stakeholders to explore how leadership, workplace culture, and individual practices can support sustainable and fulfilling careers in modern pharmacy.
A spokesperson for the university said the event examined how individual practices, organisational structure, and effective leadership can enable sustainable, resilient careers in pharmacy, supporting both professional wellbeing and high-quality patient care.
Opening the event, Professor Veronica Campbell, President of SETU, highlighted the importance of partnership and collaboration in facing the challenges posed by the rapidly evolving pharmacy profession.
“Your partnership and willingness to collaborate with SETU demonstrate a shared commitment to addressing the challenges the pharmacy sector faces - locally, nationally and globally. Through collaboration in education advancement and knowledge creation, we will meet these challenges together," she said.
"My aspirations for SETU’s contribution to the health sector - and pharmacy in particular - stem from a strong belief that this is an area with exceptional potential to support the social and economic development of the south east region,” added Prof. Campbell.
This was followed by remarks from Dr Claire Lennon, Head of Department of Pharmacy, who provided an update to the sector on the SETU Master of Pharmacy programme, the Department of Pharmacy, and its strategic objectives.
“Our team at the Department of Pharmacy is delighted to host the second annual Pharmacy Education and Networking event at SETU, welcoming pharmacists from across the region to the University," she said.
"We very much value this connection and collaboration, and its importance for our Master of Pharmacy programme," she added.
She said the team in the university has designed the day's event to align with the theme of self-care, wellness, and resilience in pharmacy.
"This is an area within our programme to which we are very committed, to support and prepare our students for long and fulfilling professional careers in pharmacy,” Dr Lennon added.
Contributions from pharmacist, Dr Catriona Bradley, further emphasised the growing recognition of mental health, resilience, and professional sustainability across the sector and a central highlight of the evening was a dynamic panel discussion titled ‘Leading for selfcare, wellness and resilience in pharmacy.
Chaired by Sarah Brown, Lecturer in Pharmacy at SETU, the session featured expert insights from James Carr, Director of Pharmacy at UPMC Ireland; Rachel Dungan, Pharmacist and Mental Health Coach; Brid Norris, Pharmacist at Leo Pharma; and Dr Colman Noctor, Mental Health Nurse and Psychotherapist.
Panellists shared practical strategies to address workplace pressures, reduce burnout, and foster supportive environments for both pharmacists and students.
Discussions highlighted the critical role of leadership in promoting wellbeing, alongside the need for collaboration between education providers and healthcare organisations.
The event also provided attendees with an update on the Department of Pharmacy’s inaugural strategic plan and they learned of the department's goals in terms of implementing its new Master of Pharmacy programme, spanning engagement, research, collaboration, student experience, and environment.
The university spokesperson said: "SETU’s Pharmacy Education and Networking Event served as an important platform for collaboration, reinforcing the University’s role in advancing innovative, practice-focused education, and supporting the sustainability of the pharmacy profession in Ireland."
The event was supported by funding through the Strategic Alignment of Teaching and Learning Enhancement programme, from the National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education.
