Welcome to the CCPA

A Brief History In 1966, the pharmacist population on the Central Coast was made up mostly of middle-aged males who either owned pharmacies or aspired to become owners. They had qualified by completing a part-time university course known as "Materia Medica" and passing both a written and practical examination conducted by the Pharmacy Board.

 

The options for a young pharmacist were limited to working as an assistant in a pharmacy, buying an existing pharmacy, or establishing a new one. At that time, there were no pharmacists employed in hospitals, which were much smaller in size. A number of local pharmacists saw the value of meeting with colleagues to discuss matters of mutual interest. Due to the vast geographic area of the Central Coast, it seemed logical to form several smaller groups to facilitate easier communication and contact.

 

Some of the early activists included Andrew Sourry, Hylton Chalmers, Ron Vaughan, Rod Radford, among others. Activities mainly consisted of small evening meetings, with information on new products provided by drug company representatives. By this time, cosmetics and patent medicines were becoming very popular, and the local beach culture provided a great opportunity to market tanning and sun protection products.

 

It soon became apparent that it would be advantageous for pharmacists to pool their efforts in promotions and occasionally in advertising. Malcolm Chalmers, who had taken over his father’s pharmacy in The Entrance, became active in the Pharmacy Guild and President of the local group, now known as the Central Coast Pharmacists Association. The Guild established a joint marketing program called Gold Ribbon Chemists. Companies provided stock at reduced prices and subsidized advertising. This was the beginning of the cooperative mass marketing that we recognize today. As Malcolm became increasingly involved in Guild activities and stood for Parliament, he persuaded me to take over in 1970.

 

Local Associations in Newcastle, Wollongong, and Sydney were experimenting with joint promotions. We proposed to our members that they approach their cosmetic agencies for advertising support. At the time, there were many more agencies, and almost all agreed to participate. Local newspapers were very popular then, with two major weekly publications, the Central Coast Express and the Gosford Star, being distributed for free and enjoying a large readership.

 

We devised a "Baby of the Year" competition. New mums would bring in their babies to have their photo taken. The pharmacy would provide a small gift to all entrants, courtesy of sponsors. Photos were collected and judged by an independent panel. The winner and runners-up received prizes and were featured in a full-page newspaper spread.

 

For several years, we organised Christmas parties subsidised by various companies. Many pharmacies used these events as their staff parties. One year, we had such a high number of attendees that we held the party over two consecutive nights, with a total attendance of 350.

 

The Association began focusing on the promotion of Continuing Education. Companies wishing to introduce new products or promote existing ones would provide funds to engage professional speakers. The venue was selected by our committee and typically involved a dinner followed by a presentation. The dinner was subsidised by the sponsoring company to make the evening more attractive to attendees.

 

During those years, we tried several initiatives to encourage customer traffic, including an Unwanted Medicines Scheme. Many other members contributed over the years, including John Dolton, Stephen Hood, Michael McPhee, Tony Cameron, and others. I stepped down for several years.

 

In 1989, relations between the Guild and the then Federal Government reached a low point, and tensions ran high. Pharmacists displayed large signs stating:

 

"CHEMISTS CARE, DOES HAWKE?"

 

The Guild encouraged local groups to rally community support. Unfortunately, enthusiasm sometimes overstepped boundaries, and some local members became involved in legal action after allegedly defaming the President of the Pharmacy Board of Review Tribunal in a newspaper article. It appeared that other local members might also be implicated in such legal actions.

 

Based on legal advice, the Central Coast Pharmacists Association Incorporated was established. This helped spread any potential legal risk. At that time, all pharmacy owners were Guild members, most were covered by Guild Insurance, and individuals were protected by PDL.

 

After several years of negotiation, these bodies agreed to participate and cover the cost of settling the legal action. This cooperation demonstrated the strength and value of local collaboration.

 

While pharmacy is currently in a strong position, the future remains uncertain. History has shown us that cooperation and competition can coexist, but the groundwork for this balance must be prepared now.​