New Zealand Royal Honours 2023

Congratulations to the recipients of the New Zealand Royal Honours 2023

We would like to congratulate two of our Society member pharmacists who have been recognised in the 2023 New Year New Zealand Honours list. Honours lists are issued on the New Year, the New Zealand observance of The King's Birthday and in Special Lists as required.

Bernard McKone and Dr Natalie Gauld are two previous National Executive members of the Pharmaceutical Society with longstanding involvement with the Society. Bernard (Bernie) McKone was the Society’s president from 2000 to 2005, and Dr Gauld served on the National Executive both as elected member and Office Holder from 2013 until 2021.

The New Zealand Royal Honours system is unique to New Zealand. Honours lists are administered by the Honours Unit, which is part of the Cabinet Office. The honours lists are approved by the King of New Zealand on the Prime Minister’s advice. The system is a way for New Zealand to say thanks and well done to those who have served and those who have achieved in their field.

Both pharmacists have been appointed to be Officers of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM).

More information about each of the recipients below:

MCKONE, Mr Bernard Joseph (Bernie)
For services to the pharmaceutical sector

Mr Bernie McKone has been contributing to the health and pharmaceutical sector in the lower South Island since 1990.

Mr McKone was appointed to the New Zealand College of Pharmacists Academic Advisory Board from 1990 to 1995 and was a Board Member of the New Zealand Pharmacy Education and Research Foundation from 1993 to 2004. He was appointed a member of the Ministry of Health’s Registering Authority of Pharmacists and the Medicines Classification Committee between 1997 to 2003. He led the Pharmacy Professions Governance implementation of the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 and helped set up clinical pharmacist services in general practices in Gore and Invercargill. He contributed to normalising conversation around men’s health by appearing on radio shows and discussing topics including prostate health and blood pressure, running men’s health stalls at events such as Field Days and created the Men’s Health Expert website. He was a Board Member of Gore Hospital from 2002 to 2004, Chair of New Zealand College of Pharmacists from 2000 to 2013, and President of the Pharmaceutical Society from 2000 to 2005. Within his wider community, Mr McKone has been President of Southland Football Referees Association, Chair of Southland Rugby Board and led many projects through Gore Rotary Club.

GAULD, Dr Natalie Joan
For services to pharmacy and health

Dr Natalie Gauld has contributed to pharmacy and healthcare in New Zealand, through improving access to medicines.

Dr Gauld successfully applied to the Medicines Classification Committee to allow pharmacists to provide medicines without prescription, including multiple vaccinations, melatonin for insomnia, selected oral contraceptives, adapalene for acne, calcipotriol for psoriasis and sildenafil. This reclassification work has been world-leading and award-winning. She was the Principal Investigator on various pharmacy service studies, including a three-year research project involving funded pertussis and influenza vaccines in pregnancy, and a pilot of hepatitis C screening. She has supported pharmacists to safely supply reclassified medicines with education and collaboratively developed screening tools. She co-developed and implemented a Hepatitis C Pharmacy Test and Treat programme across 64 community pharmacies. She co-developed a unique pharmacy service administering routine antenatal anti-D prophylaxis to rhesus negative pregnant women on a Lead Maternity Carer prescription. She has produced 37 peer-reviewed papers and three book chapters. Dr Gauld served as a member of the Medicines Classification Committee from 2004 to 2009, the National Executive of the Pharmaceutical Society of New Zealand for eight years, the Pharmaceutical Society’s Auckland branch committee for ten years, including as President from 2005 to 2007, and an ethics committee.