My journey into advocacy began in 1984 with the South African Health Workers Congress, a multidisciplinary team of healthcare workers united by common values, committed to fighting for equitable healthcare access and democracy.
Thornley works collaboratively across disciplines and stakeholders to support changing practice that delivers efficient and effective care: providing evidence to inform policy.
Many have heard me say time and time again that you cannot have a high functioning healthcare system without happy, healthy and engaged physicians. The OMA needs to consistently and effectively promote physicians.
I was always interested in becoming a pharmacist. As a young boy of 16 years of age I already worked in the pharmaceutical plant as an assistant to a chemical engineer. To become a leader in pharmacy was a matter of opportunity.
The landmark Senate bill, in response to years of advocacy by U.S. pharmacy groups, would force the companies that own health insurers or PBMs to divest their pharmacy businesses within three years.
“It Is Past Time for Action” say groups representing pharmacy as they call on U.S. Congress to act immediately to reform the Pharmacy Benefits management system that has decimated community pharmacy.
I think we need continued advocacy in building capacity within global health: I envision that groups which are on the front line of global health efforts both in conflict and non-conflict zones will have more and more engagement with pharmacy professionals. Similarly, I can now see that pharmacy professionals involved in climate change are also partnering with other health-based and non-health-based disciplines and I expect this trend to continue.
