Researcher biography

I am a highly skilled pharmacist with extensive experience in project management, advanced research, and clinical practice. Currently, I work as a Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for the Business and Economics of Health (CBEH) at The University of Queensland. I bring over 15 years of clinical pharmacy experience spanning general medicine, acute medical admissions, paediatrics, intensive care, and aseptic manufacturing. I contribute advanced knowledge of both qualitative and quantitative research methods, combined with strong written and oral communication skills, including high-level report preparation.

I have provided consultancy services to the Australian Pharmacy Council and led research projects at both local and national levels. My work has given me an advanced understanding of how to assess health professional competence. I hold a PhD in Health Profession Education and was awarded the Vice Chancellor’s Award for developing and implementing a postgraduate model designed to teach multiple health professionals how to prescribe medicines safely.

As part of the HERA EvolveHealth team, I undertake a range of research activities aimed at improving the function of the health workforce. I see this role as an exciting opportunity to contribute to better patient care and to support the development of future generations of the healthcare team.

Research Interests

  • Health Professions Education
  • Safe Prescribing
  • Health Care Workforce Models

Research Impact and Partnerships

Health Professional Education:

My PhD research (QUT School of Clinical Sciences, 2015–2020) used a mixed methods approach to explore the teaching and assessment of prescribing competence across multiple health professions. This included managing a multi-site, national, Commonwealth-funded research project – the Assessment of Prescribing in Health (ASPRINH) Project. I collaborated with Health Professional Regulatory Boards to conduct research on prescribing activities within various professions, delivering related projects for the Pharmacy Board of Australia, Physiotherapy Board of Australia, Podiatry Board of Australia, and Optometry Board of Australia.

As a consultant pharmacist to the Australian Pharmacy Council (APC), I helped develop national accreditation standards for pharmacist prescriber education programs. I also led an interdisciplinary project investigating interprofessional education (IPE) across fifteen accreditation authority members of the Health Profession Accreditation Collaborative (HPAC) Forum, and supported the review of APC systems for evaluating international pharmacists seeking registration in Australia.

I contributed to the review of the NPS MedicineWise Prescribing Competencies Framework, coordinating an expert panel to review the existing national competencies, overseeing a national consultation process, and redesigning the Framework in line with stakeholder feedback. I served as the lead project officer for this work from 2019 to 2021.

Clinical Pharmacy and Medicines Safety:

I have over 15 years of experience in clinical pharmacy across general medicine, acute medical admissions, paediatrics, intensive care, quality use of medicines, and aseptic manufacturing. I’ve led and managed medication safety initiatives and drug use evaluation programs in several hospitals. My previous roles include Pharmacist and Senior Pharmacist in the Practitioner Development Unit at Medication Services Queensland (Princess Alexandra Hospital), and Acting Assistant Director of Pharmacy at the Royal Children’s Hospital in Brisbane.

    Contact

    To find out how we can collaborate and bring value to your organisation, I can be contacted via:
     Email - l.cardiff@uq.edu.au