South Australian Medication Safety Advisory Group (SAMSAG)

The delivery of safe, quality health care is fundamental to the strategic directions of SA Health. SAMSAG is the peak SA Health advisory group to promote the safe use of medicines in South Australia.

Terms of reference (PDF 123KB)

SAMSAGs role

SAMSAG roles are to:

  • support consistency and linkage between national and state agendas and action at Local Health Network (LHN) level
  • identify policy directions, priorities and strategic directions for service development and delivery, relevant to medication safety and medication safety-related research
  • ensure communication and information flow between local, state and national stakeholders
  • facilitate a culture of shared learning and ongoing practice improvement regarding medication safety.

Working groups

Working groups may be formed as required to a specific project or area of work. These groups will develop policies and provide direction for implementation of strategies at a local level to increase medication safety in priority areas.

Membership

Medicines and Technology Policy & Programs (MTPP)

  • Director, Ms Naomi Burgess (Chair)
  • Executive officer, SAMSAG – Vacant
  • Senior Specialist Pharmacist, Ms Kaye Barratt

Central Adelaide Local Health Network (CALHN)

  • Deputy Director, Pharmacy Services – Glenside Campus, Ms Kirsty Scarborough
  • Director, Clinical Governance, CALHN A/Prof Grant Phelps
  • Nursing Director, Medical Specialties, CALHN Ms Susan Waters

Consumer representative - Mrs Helen Mikolaj

Country Health SA Local Health Network (CHSALHN)

  • Chair, CHSALHN Medication Safety Committee – Vacant
  • Director of Nursing, Naracoorte Health Service Ms Pam Schubert
  • Executive Officer, CHSA LHN Drug and Therapeutics Committee Ms Kylies Moore
    (Proxy Ms Jenny Pink)

Northern Adelaide Local Health Network (NALHN)

  • Palliative Care Consultant, NALHN Dr Mil Chan
  • Nursing Director Critical Care – Emergency Departments, NALHN Mr Andrew McGill
  • Director of Pharmacy Services, Mr Richard Marotti

Mental Health - Vacant

Nursing and Midwifery Project Nurse, Nursing and Midwifery Office Ms Carla Artini

SA Ambulance Service (SAAS) Senior Pharmacist, Patient Safety and Quality Mr Peter Hayball

Safety and Quality Senior Project Officer, Safety and Quality Ms Anita Chambers

Southern Adelaide Local Health Network (SALHN)

  • Anaesthetic Consultant & Chair, Medication Safety Advisory Group, SALHN Dr Mervyn Atkinson
  • Manager Clinical Governance Unit Ms Genevieve Sturman
  • Deputy Director, Pharmacy, Flinders Medical Centre Ms Rebecca Larcombe

Women's and Children's Health Network (WCHN)

  • Medication Safety Consultant, Women’s and Children’s Hospital Ms Sophie Sennar
  • Director of Pharmacy, Women’s and Children’s Hospital/SA Pharmacy Mr Sean Turner
  • WCHN - Vacant

Further information

For further information on SAMSAG and it's role, email HealthMedicationSafety@sa.gov.au 

Chaired by Naomi Burgess, Director Medicines and Technology, Programs, includes doctors, pharmacists, nurses and a consumer representative.