And the winners are… E
Community pharmacists and their teams have been honoured for their efforts in enhancing patient care, pharmaceutical care and excellence at the annual Pharmacy in Focus Awards, Northern Ireland’s leading platform from which to celebrate, recognise and reward the ongoing dedication and innovation in this thriving healthcare sector.
leven winners were victorious on the night, with over 40 finalists in contention. Bannside
Pharmacy in Portglenone scored a double, winning both the Health Promotion Award and the prestigious title of Community Pharmacy of the Year. Loretto McManus of Erne Pharmacy in Enniskillen was awarded the prestigious Outstanding Contribution to Pharmacy accolade.
The evening was hosted by Stephen Clements and Cate Conway, presenters of the Breakfast Show on QRadio with over 500 industry professionals converged on the Ramada Plaza Hotel, Belfast.
The UCA President’s Ball and Pharmacy in Focus Awards attracted some of the sector's most influential figures, including Jo-Anne Dobson MLA, NPA Chairman Ian Strachan, Irish Pharmacy Union President Kathy Maher and Dr Jim Livingstone, President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland.
Thanks must go to the award partners; UnitedDrug Sangers, Numark, AAH
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pharmacyinfocus.co.uk
Pharmaceuticals, and the category sponsors Consilient Health, Wockhardt UK, the NPA, McLernon Computers, Bank of Ireland (UK), Actavis UK, Exchange Accountants, Teva UK, Ulster Bank (UK), GSK Consumer Healthcare and EMIS Health without whom the night would not have been possible, not to mention the prestigious judging panel.
This pharmacy all-star healthcare cast would not have been complete without the presence of UCA President Cliff McElhinney. Welcoming guests to the 2016 event, he addressed the audience, “This annual event is always very popular in the pharmacy social calendar. It highlights and celebrates the high standard of pharmaceutical care that community pharmacy in Northern Ireland affords the general public and the Department of Health and Social Care.
“This time last year, I was sitting in this very room as a finalist, it was nerve racking, but trust me, this year I have surpassed myself in the nerve stakes by standing on this side of the stage. To all our finalists, I wish you good luck and remember, when the event is over, you will start the process of
building on your award by using all the PR tools available to you to highlight the excellent service provided to your patients and customers. Profile Publishing and the UCA office will be there to steer you through this process, make sure you use them!”
Cliff went on to talk of the services and support offered by the UCA to help pharmacists with the many challenges currently being faced. He added, “Northern Ireland pharmacists have shown that we can deliver extended services. Over 70% of patients engaged in smoking cessation services do so through their community pharmacy. Success rates are above protocol requirements.
“There is an appetite for self-care from our patients. Flu vaccination uptake (albeit on a private basis) is good within pharmacy. MUR’s whilst not perfect, offer opportunities for pharmacists to affect care. Government needs to take notice. With proper procedures and funding community pharmacy is engaged.
“The strength here is the community pharmacy network. The UCA welcomes the addition of pharmacists
to GP surgeries, where they liaise with the local pharmacy network to enhance the primary care offering. GP surgery pharmacists cannot alleviate the pressure on the surgery alone. It would be a mistake to think that that is the case. The community pharmacy network is the strength of pharmacy. Primary care pharmacists are not new. We have been on the high street for over 100 years.
“With the recent talk of dispensing hubs, this is all the more relevant today. Dispensing hubs, collection and delivery services - where is the pharmacist patient interaction? Surely that is our major strength. It is our ability to interact with patients and customers that is so highly valued.
“We are ideally placed to push home the public health message. We need to show the department that we are indispensable in meeting targets for public health in areas like smoking, alcohol, sexual health, flu vaccination and so on.
“As an independent contractor I need help when it comes to commissioning
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