Dr Ramesh Walpola

Associate Professor

Bachelor of Pharmacy (The University of Sydney)

Doctor of Philosophy (The University of Sydney)

Medicine & Health

School of Health Sciences

Dr Ramesh Walpola is a pharmacist, certified health manager (CHM) and the Pharmacy Academic Lead & Program Authority at the School of Health Sciences. His main area of research expertise and interest is in patient and medication safety, particularly examining the social determinants of safe practices. Ramesh completed his PhD at The University of Sydney in 2016, which focused on the development of educational interventions to enhance generational change in patient safety practices in the pharmacy setting. He was awarded the FIP Young Pharmacist Award for Professional Innovation in 2012 in recognition of the novelty of this work. Following his PhD, he worked in a number of clinical research roles, including a multi-centre deprescribing randomized controlled trial, development of inter-professional student-led clinics and a review of the junior undergraduate pharmacy practice curriculum at The University of Sydney. Ramesh’s current research spans a number of areas including patient and medication safety, safety culture, health professional education, patient experience with a focus on vulnerable populations. Ramesh is currently leading the implementation of the new pharmacy program in the School of Health Sciences, as part of the suite of new and relaunched health professional programs.

Phone

+61-2-9385 1136

E-mail

r.walpola@unsw.edu.au

Location

Room 318, Level 3, Samuels Building

Book Chapters | 2019

Walpola R; Aslani P, 2019, 'Developing and Implementing Patient Safety Standards Within the Pharmacy Practice and Education Settings', in Babar Z-U-D (ed.), Encyclopedia of Pharmacy Practice and Clinical Pharmacy, Academic Press
Journal articles | 2023

Adams C; Harrison R; Iqbal MP; Schembri A; Walpola R, 2023, 'From Detractors to Promoters: A comparative analysis of patient experience drivers across Net Promoter Score subcategories', International Journal of Nursing Practice, http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/ijn.13197

Journal articles | 2023

Bradfield Strydom M; Khan S; Walpola RL; Ware RS; Tiralongo E, 2023, 'Interplay of the microbiome and antifungal therapy in recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis (RVVC): A narrative review', Journal of Medical Microbiology, 72, http://dx.doi.org/10.1099/jmm.0.001705

Journal articles | 2023

Chauhan A; Newman B; Roberto E; Walpola RL; Seale H; Chin M; Harrison R, 2023, 'Making it Meaningful : Co-designing an intervention to improve medication safety for people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds accessing cancer services', Patient Experience Journal, 10, pp. 34 - 48, http://dx.doi.org/10.35680/2372-0247.1732

Journal articles | 2023

Cheek C; Hayba N; Richardson L; Austin EE; Francis Auton E; Safi M; Ransolin N; Vukasovic M; De Los Santos A; Murphy M; Harrison R; Churruca K; Long JC; Hibbert PD; Carrigan A; Newman B; Hutchinson K; Mitchell R; Cutler H; Holt L; Braithwaite J; Gillies D; Salmon PM; Walpola RL; Zurynski Y; Ellis LA; Smith K; Brown A; Ali R; Gwynne K; Clay-Williams R, 2023, 'Experience-based codesign approach to improve care in Australian emergency departments for complex consumer cohorts: the MyED project protocol, Stages 1.1-1.3', BMJ Open, 13, pp. e072908, http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2023-072908

Journal articles | 2023

Lawrence J; Hiscock H; Voskoboynik A; Walpola R; Sharma A, 2023, 'Impact of an Intervention to Reduce Bronchodilator Use in Bronchiolitis – A Time Series Analysis', Hospital Pediatrics, 13, pp. 653 - 659, http://dx.doi.org/10.1542/hpeds.2022-007059

Journal articles | 2023

Strydom MB; Khan S; Walpola RL; Testa C; Ware RS; Tiralongo E, 2023, 'Intravaginal Combination Therapy of Acetic and Lactic Acid in premenopausal women with recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis: A randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled feasibility trial', Women's Health, 19, http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/17455057231194138

Journal articles | 2023

Walpola R; Mey A; Harrison AR; Khan S; Castelino R; Gisev N, 2023, 'Evaluating informal caregivers’ needs in managing medicines for people receiving cancer treatment in Australia', Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy, 19, pp. 5 - 5, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.sapharm.2023.04.013

Journal articles | 2022

Adams C; Walpola R; Schembri AM; Harrison R, 2022, 'The ultimate question? Evaluating the use of Net Promoter Score in healthcare: A systematic review', Health Expectations, 25, pp. 2328 - 2339, http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/hex.13577

Journal articles | 2022

Bradfield Strydom M; Walpola RL; McMillan S; Khan S; Ware RS; Tiralongo E, 2022, 'Lived experience of medical management in recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis: a qualitative study of an uncertain journey', BMC Women's Health, 22, http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12905-022-01973-x

Journal articles | 2022

Chauhan A; Newman B; Walpola RL; Seale H; Manias E; Wilson C; Harrison R, 2022, 'Assessing the environment for engagement in health services: The Audit for Consumer Engagement (ACE) tool', Health Expectations, 25, pp. 3027 - 3039, http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/hex.13610

Journal articles | 2022

Harrison R; Chauhan A; Le-Dao H; Minbashian A; Walpola R; Fischer S; Schwarz G, 2022, 'Achieving change readiness for health service innovations', Nursing Forum, 57, pp. 603 - 607, http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/nuf.12713

Journal articles | 2022

Harrison R; Manias E; Ellis L; Mimmo L; Walpola R; Roxas-Harris B; Dobbins T; Mitchell R; Cowie S; Maberly G; Chan C; Hay L, 2022, 'Evaluating clinician experience in value-based health care: the development and validation of the Clinician Experience Measure (CEM)', BMC Health Services Research, 22, http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12913-022-08900-8

Journal articles | 2022

Joseph K; Newman B; Manias E; Walpola R; Seale H; Walton M; Chauhan A; Li J; Harrison R, 2022, 'Engaging with ethnic minority consumers to improve safety in cancer services: A national stakeholder analysis', Patient Education and Counseling, 105, pp. 2778 - 2784, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.pec.2022.04.014

Journal articles | 2022

Lawrence J; Walpola R; Boyce SL; Bryant PA; Sharma A; Hiscock H, 2022, 'Home Care for Bronchiolitis: A Systematic Review', Pediatrics, 150, http://dx.doi.org/10.1542/peds.2022-056603

Journal articles | 2022

Walpola RL; Harrison R, 2022, 'Community pharmacists are central to improving medication safety for patients from ethnic minority backgrounds', International Journal of Pharmacy Practice, 30, pp. 3 - 4, http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/ijpp/riab082

Journal articles | 2021

Adie K; Fois RA; McLachlan AJ; Walpola RL; Chen TF, 2021, 'The nature, severity and causes of medication incidents from an Australian community pharmacy incident reporting system: The QUMwatch study', British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 87, pp. 4809 - 4822, http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/bcp.14924

Journal articles | 2021

Aldila F; Walpola RL, 2021, 'Medicine self-administration errors in the older adult population: A systematic review', Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy, 17, pp. 1877 - 1886, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.sapharm.2021.03.008

Journal articles | 2021

Bhattarai B; Walpola R; Khan S; Mey A, 2021, 'Factors associated with medication adherence among people living with COPD: Pharmacists' perspectives', Exploratory Research in Clinical and Social Pharmacy, 3, pp. 100049, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.rcsop.2021.100049

Journal articles | 2021

Bradfield Strydom M; Walpola RL; Khan S; Ware RS; Tiralongo E, 2021, 'Evidence-based update on Australasian pharmaceutical prescribing approaches for recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis', Australian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 61, pp. 496 - 499, http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/ajo.13376

Journal articles | 2021

Chauhan A; Walpola RL; Manias E; Seale H; Walton M; Wilson C; Smith AB; Li J; Harrison R, 2021, 'How do health services engage culturally and linguistically diverse consumers? An analysis of consumer engagement frameworks in Australia', Health Expectations, 24, pp. 1747 - 1762, http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/hex.13315

Journal articles | 2021

Chauhan A; Walpola RL, 2021, 'Ensuring medication safety for consumers from ethnic minority backgrounds: The need to address unconscious bias within health systems', International Journal for Quality in Health Care, 33, http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/intqhc/mzab145

Journal articles | 2021

Harrison R; Fischer S; Walpola RL; Chauhan A; Babalola T; Mears S; Le-Dao H, 2021, 'Where Do Models for Change Management, Improvement and Implementation Meet? A Systematic Review of the Applications of Change Management Models in Healthcare.', J Healthc Leadersh, 13, pp. 85 - 108, http://dx.doi.org/10.2147/JHL.S289176

Journal articles | 2021

Harrison R; Raman M; Walpola RL; Chauhan A; Sansom-Daly UM, 2021, 'Preparing for partnerships in cancer care: an explorative analysis of the role of family-based caregivers', BMC Health Services Research, 21, http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12913-021-06611-0

Journal articles | 2021

Harrison R; Walton M; Manias E; Wilson C; Girgis A; Chin M; Leone D; Seale H; Smith AB; Chauhan A, 2021, 'Codesigning consumer engagement strategies with ethnic minority consumers in Australian cancer services: The CanEngage Project protocol', BMJ Open, 11, http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2020-048389

Journal articles | 2021

Iqbal M; Walpola R; Harris-Roxas B; Lai J; Mears S; Hall J; Harrison R, 2021, 'Improving primary health care quality for refugees and asylum seekers: A systematic review of interventional approaches', Health Expectations, http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/hex.13365

Journal articles | 2021

Walpola R; Lucas C, 2021, 'Reflective practice: the essential competency for health systems and healthcare practitioners during the COVID-19 pandemic', Reflective Practice, 22, pp. 143 - 146, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14623943.2020.1860925

Journal articles | 2020

Bhattarai B; Walpola R; Mey A; Anoopkumar-Dukie S; Khan S, 2020, 'Barriers and strategies for improving medication adherence among people living with copd: A systematic review', Respiratory Care, 65, pp. 1738 - 1750, http://dx.doi.org/10.4187/respcare.07355

Journal articles | 2020

Chauhan A; Walton M; Manias E; Walpola RL; Seale H; Latanik M; Leone D; Mears S; Harrison R, 2020, 'The safety of health care for ethnic minority patients: A systematic review', International Journal for Equity in Health, 19, pp. 118, http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12939-020-01223-2

Journal articles | 2020

Le-Dao H; Chauhan A; Walpola R; Fischer S; Schwarz G; Minbashian A; Munro A; D'Arcy E; Allan J; Harrison R, 2020, 'Managing Complex Healthcare Change: A Qualitative Exploration of Current Practice in New South Wales, Australia', Journal of Healthcare Leadership, 12, pp. 143 - 151, http://dx.doi.org/10.2147/jhl.s274958

Journal articles | 2018

Lucas C; Williams K; Tudball J; Walpola RL, 2018, 'Community, hospital and industry preceptor perceptions of their role in experiential placements- the need for standardization of preceptor responsibilities and evaluations on students', Currents in Pharmacy Teaching and Learning, 10, pp. 1447 - 1455, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cptl.2018.08.002

Journal articles | 2018

Walpola RL; McLachlan AJ; Chen TF, 2018, 'A scoping review of peer-led education in patient safety training', American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 82, pp. 115 - 123, http://dx.doi.org/10.5688/ajpe6110

Journal articles | 2018

Walpola RL; Schneider CR, 2018, 'Longitudinal interprofessional student-led clinics – a formula for implementation', International Journal of Pharmacy Practice, 26, pp. 473 - 474, http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/ijpp.12495

Journal articles | 2017

Walpola RL; Chen TF; Fois RA; Ashcroft DM; Lalor DJ, 2017, 'Evaluation of a survey tool to measure safety climate in Australian hospital pharmacy staff', Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy, 13, pp. 789 - 795, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.sapharm.2016.10.001

Journal articles | 2017

Walpola RL; Fois RA; McLachlan AJ; Chen TF, 2017, 'Evaluating the effectiveness of an educational intervention to improve the patient safety attitudes of intern pharmacists', American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 81

Journal articles | 2016

Walpola RL; Fois RA; Mclachlan AJ; Chen TF, 2016, 'Enhancing generational change in patient safety attitudes through peer leadership', BMJ Simulation and Technology Enhanced Learning, 2, pp. 87 - 89, http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjstel-2016-000111

Journal articles | 2015

Lalor DJ; Chen TF; Walpola R; George RA; Ashcroft DM; Fois RA, 2015, 'An exploration of Australian hospital pharmacists' attitudes to patient safety', International Journal of Pharmacy Practice, 23, pp. 67 - 76, http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/ijpp.12115

Journal articles | 2015

Walpola RL; Fois RA; Carter SR; McLachlan AJ; Chen TF, 2015, 'Validation of a survey tool to assess the patient safety attitudes of pharmacy students', BMJ Open, 5, http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2015-008442

Journal articles | 2015

Walpola RL; Fois RA; McLachlan AJ; Chen TF, 2015, 'Evaluating the effectiveness of a peerled education intervention to improve the patient safety attitudes of junior pharmacy students: A cross-sectional study using a latent growth curve modelling approach', BMJ Open, 5, http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2015-010045
Preprints | 2023

Chauhan A; Newman B; Manias PE; Joseph MK; Leone D; Walpola RL; Seale APH; Smith APAB; Harrison APR, 2023, Creating safer cancer care with ethnic minority patients: A qualitative analysis of experiences of cancer service staff, , http://dx.doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-3285670/v1

Preprints | 2022

Harrison R; Manias E; Ellis L; Walpola R; Roxas-Harris B; Mitchell R; Dobbins T; Lvl CC; Cowie S; Maberly G; Mimmo L; Hay L, 2022, Evaluating clinician experience in value-based health care: The development and validation of the Clinician Experience Measure (CEM), , http://dx.doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-1571071/v1

Reports | 2021

Harrison R; Manias E; Walpola R; Dobbins T; Mimmo L; Harris-Roxas B, 2021, Clinician Experience of Virtual Modes, preprared by UNSW Sydney for the Strategic Reform Branch, New South Wales Ministry of Health

Preprints | 2021

Harrison R; Raman M; Walpola RL; Chauhan A; Sansom-Daly U, 2021, Preparing for Partnerships in Cancer Care: An Explorative Analysis of the Role of Family-Based Caregivers, , http://dx.doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-374973/v1

Reports | 2020

Aslani P; Airaksinen M; Kusynova Z; Walpola R; Dean Franklin B; Eksteen M; Hertig J; Mair A, 2020, Patient Safety: Pharmacists' role in 'Medication without harm', International Pharmaceutical Federation, The Hague, https://www.fip.org/file/4757

Conference Abstracts | 2019

Nguyen GTHA; Haywood A; Walpola RL, 2019, 'EXAMINING QUALITY IMPROVEMENT EVALUATIONS OF THE DOSE ADMINISTRATION AID PREPARATION PROCESS BY COMMUNITY PHARMACIES', in RESEARCH IN SOCIAL & ADMINISTRATIVE PHARMACY, ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC, Vol. 15, pp. E19 - E19, https://www.webofscience.com/api/gateway?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000468482900046&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=891bb5ab6ba270e68a29b250adbe88d1

Conference Papers | 2018

Lucas C; Williams KA; McAloon J; Walpola R, 2018, 'FROM EXPECTATIONS TO EXPERIENCE: PHARMACY STUDENTS' PERCEPTIONS ON EXPERIENTIAL PLACEMENTS', in RESEARCH IN SOCIAL & ADMINISTRATIVE PHARMACY, ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC, pp. E45 - E45, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.sapharm.2018.05.088

Conference Papers | 2018

Lucas C; Williams KA; Tudball J; Walpola R, 2018, 'PRECEPTOR PERCEPTIONS: STANDARDIZING EVALUATION AND FEEDBACK PROCESSES FOR EXPERIENTIAL PLACEMENTS', in RESEARCH IN SOCIAL & ADMINISTRATIVE PHARMACY, ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC, pp. E39 - E39, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.sapharm.2018.05.069

Conference Papers | 2014

Walpola RL; Chen TF; McLachlan AJ; Fois RA, 2014, 'Developing a Peer-led Patient Safety Education Program for Pharmacy Students', in RESEARCH IN SOCIAL & ADMINISTRATIVE PHARMACY, ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC, pp. E17 - E17, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.sapharm.2014.07.049

International Pharmaceutical Federation Young Pharmacist/Pharmaceutical Scientist Award for Professional Innovation 2012

Awarded for: The development and evaluation of a peer-led patient safety education program

UNSW Sydney, School of Public Health and Community Medicine Grant Building Support Scheme 2019

Awarded for: Refugee health facilitator program: evaluating scope, scalability and outcomes

UNSW Business Health@Business Research Network and UNSW Medicine Collaborative Seed Funding 2020

Awarded for: Who knows what’s in your medicine? Harmful excipients in medication and the overlooked consequences for public health in Australia

UNSW Business Health@Business Research Network and UNSW Medicine Collaborative Seed Funding 2020

Awarded for: Translation and change: Embedding effective change management in health

UNSW Sydney, School of Public Health and Community Medicine Grant Building Support Scheme 2020

Awarded for: Understanding the needs of informal caregivers in managing medicines for people receiving cancer treatment

Australasian Pharmaceutical Science Association, Research Grant Scheme 2020

Awarded for: Developing a pharmacist led intervention to assist informal caregivers in managing medicines for people receiving cancer treatment

UTS Centre for Carer Research, Early Career Researcher Carer Investment Program 2020/21

Awarded for: Supporting the needs of informal caregivers in managing medicines for people receiving cancer treatment

UNSW Cancer Seed Grant 2021

Awarded for: Understanding the impact of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) on Australian cancer treatment

Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care, MRFF 2022 Models of Care to Improve the Efficiency and Effectiveness of Acute Care

Awarded for: Working together: innovation to improve Emergency Department (ED) performance, and patient outcomes and experience for five complex consumer cohorts

International Pharmaceutical Federation Young Pharmacist/Pharmaceutical Scientist Award for Professional Innovation 2012

Awarded for: The development and evaluation of a peer-led patient safety education program

Member of the International Pharmaceutical Federation Patient Safety Working Group

Member of the Patient Safety Movement Foundation Safety Culture Working Group

My Teaching

PHCM 9391 Strategy, Policy and Change

PHCM 9748 Clinical Governance and Risk Management

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