Estelle Thompson

Performed delegated responsible pharmacist functions and maintained efficient pharmacy operations during the absence of the pharmacy manager. Counseled patients on correct medication use, possible side effects, adherence strategies, and lifestyle considerations. Liaised directly with prescribers to amend or clarify prescriptions, ensuring clinical appropriateness and adherence to Primary Healthcare Standard Treatment Guidelines and PACK Western Cape protocols.

Pharmacist - Sessional contract at Western Cape Department of Health – Knysna CDC clinic (2025-11 – 2026-04)

• Performed delegated responsible pharmacist functions and maintained efficient pharmacy operations during the absence of the pharmacy manager
• Counseled patients on correct medication use, possible side effects, adherence strategies, and lifestyle considerations
• Liaised directly with prescribers to amend or clarify prescriptions, ensuring clinical appropriateness and adherence to Primary Healthcare Standard Treatment Guidelines and PACK Western Cape protocols
• Identified and resolved prescription issues for CDU submissions to maintain compliance and avoid script rejections
• Supervised and verified prescriptions prepared by Pharmacist’s Assistant (Post-Basic) staff
• Participated in the return and documentation of stock from uncollected CDU parcels in accordance with return protocols
• Completed antimicrobial stewardship data collection sheets to support rational medicine use and antimicrobial stewardship programmes through monitoring of prescribing patterns and continuous improvement of medicine use
• Utilised the Single Patient Viewer electronic health record system to review patient medical histories, perform medicine reconciliation, and verify GFR values to support appropriate medicine selection and informed prescribing decisions
• Monitored medicine storage conditions, stock control processes, and expiry date management to maintain medicine quality and patient safety
• Recorded clinical interventions as a quality assurance measure to support monitoring of prescribing practices, identification of prescriber training needs, and to demonstrate the clinical impact of pharmacy services

Pharmacist locum at Clicks Pharmacy Waterstone Village and various Clicks Pharmacy branches (2025-04 – Present)

• Delivered comprehensive pharmaceutical care by ensuring patients’ medicine-related needs were identified and addressed responsibly and legally, in line with SAPC guidelines
• Accurately resolved prescription errors and medical aid claim discrepancies
• Provided Pharmacist-Initiated Therapy services
• Liaised directly with prescribers to clarify or amend prescriptions, ensuring legal validity and clinical appropriateness
• Assisted with ordering stock based on patient needs and usage trends
• Proficient in Leap software for dispensing and claims management
• Skilled in drug utilization review, medication therapy management, and prescription verification
• Experienced with electronic prescription platforms, including EMGuidance Script

Pharmacogenetics medical writer at Intelligene SA (Pty) Ltd (2023-08 – 2025-03)

• Medical data quality control and analytics
• Review of pharmacogenetic clinical research for accuracy and compliance
• Clinical project management and collaboration with key project stakeholders

Community service pharmacist at Western Cape Department of Health – Stellenbosch Hospital (2022-08 – 2023-07)

• Evaluated medicine-related needs by assessing the indication, safety, and effectiveness of patient therapies across diverse categories
• Provided education and counseling to patients to ensure medication safety, effectiveness, and adherence
• Provided medication reconciliation services, focusing on transitions from hospital to hospice and hospital to clinic, to enhance continuity of care
• Participated in ward rounds alongside a multi-disciplinary team
• Effectively collaborated with prescribers to address prescription issues, promote rational drug use, and ensure adherence to coding restrictions
• Managed hospital medication stock including ordering, receiving and distribution of stock
• Conducted Schedule 6 stock takes, ensuring compliance with regulatory standards
• Assisted in management and mitigation of medicine stock-outs
• Assisted in the rotation of hospital ward stock and investigating increases in medication usage
• Ensured the efficient operation of the pharmacy when responsible pharmacist was off-site
• Conducted medicine use evaluations (IV amoxicillin/clavulanic acid) with a focus on rational medicine use and antibiotic stewardship, and effectively communicated findings during hospital PTC meeting
• Utilized software such as JAC, MEDSAS, WINRDM, and ECCR for tracking medications, managing stock orders, performing medicine reconciliation, and handling administrative functions as required
• Provided CPD guidance to pharmacist interns and delivered ongoing educational sessions for pharmacy staff on topics such as warfarin, bridging therapy, and diphtheria
• Assisted in identifying and reporting potential adverse drug reactions to SAHPRA, contributing to pharmacovigilance efforts
• Assisted in managing and distributing Measles vaccine campaign stock, ensuring proper storage and cold chain management
• Assisted in the management and distribution of COVID-19 vaccine stock
• Provided emergency medicine supply and pharmaceutical advice to healthcare providers during on-call periods
• Performed non-sterile compounding as required, including solutions of morphine, caffeine, and acetic acid

Research Intern (Pharmacogenetics) at Praelexis (2022-03 – 2022-07)

• Managed clinical projects and effectively utilized medical research databases

Community service pharmacist at Karl Bremer Hospital (2020-08 – 2021-02)

• Assessed medicine-related needs by evaluating the indication, safety, and effectiveness of patient therapies across various categories, including neonatal, outpatient, infectious disease, maternity, pediatric, psychiatry, internal medicine, surgical, and emergency care
• Responded promptly to emergency requests while on-call
• Maintained accurate stock rotation in the emergency medicine supply room and contributed to pharmacy stock takes to ensure precise inventory management

Pharmacist intern at Mitchell’s Plain Community Health Centre (2019-03 – 2020-02)

• Winner of the Intern Research Presentation Award (2019) by SAAHIP for developing and applying a value stream mapping quality improvement tool that enhanced prescription processing efficiency
• Supported patients in resolving issues related to CDU packet collection and provided assistance with medicine reconciliation services, ensuring accurate comparison of old and new prescriptions for CDU parcels
• Identified and addressed issues in new prescriptions for CDU parcels to prevent potential rejections
• Dispensed under direct personal supervision of a pharmacist

Bachelor of Pharmacy (B.Pharm) in Pharmacy – University of the Western Cape (2014 – 2018)

BSc Microbiology and Biotechnology in Microbiology and Biotechnology – Stellenbosch University (2008 – 2008)

MB, ChB – Stellenbosch University (2009 – 2012)

Senior Certificate – Outeniqua High School (2007 – 2007)

Pharmacy Externship in Fourth year pharmacy student – MediRite Somerset West (2018 – 2018)

Pharmacy Externship in Third year pharmacy student – George Provincial Hospital (2017 – 2017)