Redundancy can feel like a kick in the teeth, but for Elaine Way, it was an opportunity for a career change.

Elaine started at Avicenna Pharmacy’s branch in West Howe, Bournemouth, as a medicines counter assistant and recently qualified as an accuracy checking technician. However, it is in her role as a stop smoking advisor that she excels, and it was this that led to her being Highly Commended in the Service Excellence category, with Awards judge and pharmacy tsar Trevor Gore highlighting the level of service she provides that goes “beyond the normal NRT”.

Elaine adapts her approach to best suit the customer in front of her, saying: “Some prefer a direct approach, whereas others prefer to be handled more softly.” One case in point was an individual who she approached after noticing that she was purchasing cough and cold remedies on a regular basis. The lady confessed that although she had made several attempts to quit, she had never succeeded, so Elaine encouraged her to have another go, this time putting aside the money she would have spent on cigarettes into an account to save for a family cruise. She says: “She couldn’t believe her luck when she booked her ticket with the proceeds of her old smoking habit.”

Another patient was supported to give up, not only to the benefit of her own COPD, but with the added bonus of her daughter’s asthma dramatically improving. It wasn’t an easy process, but Elaine was on hand to offer the woman tips such as changing her daily routine to avoid activities she associated with smoking, relaxation techniques to ease her restlessness, and sucking mints when a craving hit. Elaine says: “When she comes into store now, she tells me tales of family days out that were unthinkable when she was still smoking. This makes me really happy as I have not only improved her health, but the lives of those around her as well.”