NEWS Welcome
By Adrienne Clugston
Welcome to the second edition of Pharmacy in Focus for 2026. We hope you like the new look and content.
The Pharmacy in Focus Awards held in March were incredible with so much fabulous community pharmacy talent showcased through the awards. The highlight of the evening was once again the presentation of UCA’s annual Outstanding Contribution to Pharmacy Award to Helen Murphy of Murphy’s Chemist. Helen is celebrating 50 years on the PSNI register this year and isn’t stopping any time soon. Congratulations to all the finalists and award winners! Full coverage and photos begin on page eight.
UCA-NI were joined at the Awards by guests including PSNI President Geraldine O’Hare and CEO Canice Ward plus Pharmacy Forum Chair Sheelin McKeagney. The Department of Health were represented by Chris Garland and Sean Curley along with representatives from Community Pharmacy NI, QUB & Ulster University. Special guest this year was Philip McGuigan MLA, who has been very supportive of community pharmacy in his role as Chair of the Health Committee.
This year we were also delighted to welcome as our guests two young pharmacy trailblazers. Conor McDonnell is a newly qualified pharmacist working in both the hospital and community sectors who has joined the Pharmacy Forum NI as a young registrant representative. Natalia Lara-Nesbitt is a pharmacy technician and current third year pharmacy student. Natalia is a pharmacy student representative at Ulster University and she recently organised a podcast for International Women’s Day where she interviewed a number of high profile female pharmacists.
Our next event is the NI Pharmacy Brunch on Wednesday, May 6, and we’re back in the Crowne Plaza but this time in the Laganview Suite, next to the main hotel building. The theme is “Unlocking Capacity in Your Pharmacy”, exploring how pharmacies can expand service provision by creating space and time within their business and looking at how new Independent Pharmacist Prescribers can be incorporated. We will be sharing more about the event in the next issue.
It is shaping up to be another busy spring, so if UCA-NI can support you in any way, call or email Adrienne Clugston on 028 9065 6576 /
adrienne@ucani.co.uk. We’re here to help!
Community Pharmacy Management Programme
UCA-NI’s new look training programme, the Community Pharmacy Management Programme, has almost completed its first year. The programme welcomed 61 trainees in two cohorts mirroring the new Foundation Training Year model.
But, it’s not just for Foundation Trainees, this programme content reflects the core requirements of community pharmacy employers, preparing trainees or those new to a community pharmacy or management role requiring business and management skills.
This is covered in the first two days of the programme, with the third day covering vaccination training or refresher training as this is now another essential part of being a community pharmacist. Trainees are also given recorded presentations and information which they can view at their own pace.
An Induction Programme for Community Pharmacy Management
The UCA programme is great for Foundation Trainees, but it is also perfect for any newly qualified pharmacist, or any pharmacy employee you would like to upskill for management or operational responsibilities.
The programme will run twice annually in the autumn and spring.
Day 1: Successful Business Management Day 2: Effective People Management Day 3: Vaccination Training
Plus: CPNI presentation on service development, information and advice on the FTY, exam preparation tips, etc.
Plus: Access-NI Umbrella Body Service fee covered (see more on Access-NI on the next page)
For more information, contact Adrienne on 028 9065 6576 or email:
office@ucani.co.uk
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