The Pharmacy Business Awards, held at the iconic Park Plaza Westminster Bridge hotel overlooking the Houses of Parliament on Wednesday (Oct 12), heard of some of the finest work community pharmacies up and down the country have demonstrated, what innovations they have made and how they have adapted to meet the ever-changing patient needs and demands.
A total of 14 awards were handed out with three new categories making their debut at the 22nd edition of the Awards.
Pharmacy Minister Will Quince was the chief guest of the event, and in his maiden speech delivered to community pharmacy since becoming new minister with responsibility for the sector, he said he’s determined to be “your champion” and “voice in government”.
Addressing delegates, he praised community pharmacy for delivering 25 million Covid-19 vaccines, five million flu jabs, 200 million lateral flow testing kits and millions of medicines throughout the pandemic.
“These local efforts became the national success story,” he told over 600 attendees at a gala dinner.
The erstwhile Pharmacy Business Editor’s award — renamed since the 21st edition as the Pharmacy Business Ram Solanki Lifetime Achievement Award 2022 in honour of the founder of Asian Media Group, publishers of Pharmacy Business and Asian Trader, Ramniklal Solanki CBE — went to Raj Aggarwal, a distinguished pharmacist who has been a leading figure in community pharmacy for four decades and has contributed profoundly to the profession.
The top honours of the night, the Pharmacy Business of the Year 2022, was presented by former pharmacy minister and Conservative MP Steve Brine. It went to Hodgson Pharmacy in Longfield, Kent, overcoming stiff competition from two other worthy challengers.
Sharing his excitement with Pharmacy Business, owner Amish Patel who runs the family-owned pharmacy, said: “Winning the top award is certainly the highlight of my career. I have been attending the awards ever since I qualified aspiring to one day be like the winners; innovative, pioneering and inspiring. Winning the award just gives that feeling I achieved that goal.”
The brand new Pharmacy Business Sustainable Pharmacy of the Year Award 2022 saw a very close competition between two finalists — Alphabet Pharmacy in West Stratford, Manchester and Landy’s Chemist in Finchley — with the North London pharmacy becoming the eventual winner of the category. Mitesh Desai’s pharmacy uses algae-based or paper bags for customers and no plastic in the store. It recycles 95 per cent of its waste and its thriving e-commerce business uses no paper at all at any stages of the ordering process.
Another new category, the Pharmacy Business Aspiring Pharmacy Leader of the Year 2022, went to Aimee Coates of Forest Hall Pharmacy, who beat off her rivals by virtue of showing immense maturity in her short career which began only three years ago after she qualified as a pharmacist in 2019.
Lindsey Fairbrother of Good Life Pharmacy in Derbyshire was declared winner of the Pharmacy Business Inspiring Woman of the Year Award 2022. Lindsey was praised by the panel of judges for her passion for community pharmacy and being an exemplary role model and inspiring leader.
Mattock Lane Pharmacy in Ealing, West London won the Pharmacy Business GP/Primary Care Integration Award 2022 for their Herculean effort in bringing together 29 surgeries from across different PCNs to deliver in excess of 100,000 vaccinations in the area.
Superintendent pharmacist and a co-owner Rajan Shah said: “Really proud to win this award. I am thanking to our whole team who worked tirelessly to build great relationships with our local healthcare partners like GPs, PCNs and ICS/NHS colleagues, working collaboratively at all times to support our patients and local communities. This shows the power of community pharmacy and we looking forward to building on this recognition to develop more local services to benefit our local health needs.”
A serious contender to the top award was Gill Pharmacy in Southall, West London.
Amarjit Singh Gill and his family have run this highly commended pharmacy for over 40 years they are deeply embedded in the community. It ended up winning the Pharmacy Business Local Health Initiative of the Year Award 2022 for the way in which the pharmacy has been reaching out to a diverse mix of communities from different faith and cultures whilst delivering a range of outstanding services 365 days a year.
Giving his quick reaction after winning the award, Mr Gill said: “After a very tough two years throughout the pandemic, to be recognised and appreciated in this way means a lot to me and my entire pharmacy team. This feeling of satisfaction is second to none.”
Champion of pharmacy-led healthy lifestyle interventions in the community, Graham Philips, found himself among the finalists once again and he walked away with the Pharmacy Business Innovation Award 2022 for his outstanding initiatives at the newly-opened Letchworth Pharmacy in Letchworth Garden City which he wants to be ‘the most clinical pharmacy in the country.’
Speaking to Pharmacy Business, Phillips said: “This was a very pleasant surprise for me and the timing couldn’t have been better. It was my birthday earlier this week.
“Absolutely delighted to have been a finalist in three categories at the Pharmacy Business Awards. These awards are the most prestigious of the pharmacy calendar and every finalist is a winner. To have actually won the Innovation Awards was the best birthday present I can imagine! Still grinning.”
Winners in other categories were as follows, which includes three top brand awards:
- Community Pharmacy Heroes: Tracey Thompson, Sea Road Pharmacy, Sunderland
- Enterprise Award: Mayank Patel, Pearl Chemist Group, South London
- Independent Prescriber of the Year Award: Zafir Hussain, Nash Chemist, East London
- Pharmacy Assistant of the Year Award: Lisa Day, Anstice Pharmacy, Shropshire
- Pharmacy Team of the Year Award: Day Lewis Pharmacy, Oswestry Shropshire
- Pharmacy Technology Award: Hylton Castle Pharmacy in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear
- Community Award: Simon Harris, Cadbury Heath Pharmacy, Bristol
- Generic Manufacturer of the Year: Teva
- Branded Manufacturer of the Year: Johnson & Johnson
- OTC Brand of the Year: Lemsip by Reckitt.
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