Adaptability, empathy and excellent consultation skills made Ewa Kluk a standout winner of the Service Excellence Award.

Ewa Kluk worked in teaching and retail before coming to pharmacy in 2014 on a friend's recommendation. "I quickly discovered that I really enjoyed the everyday challenges of doing my best to meet our patients’ needs, especially the vulnerable ones like the elderly. They often need extra care and feel conscious that they are a bother,” Ewa says. “Adapting our services to cater for their needs is a responsibility I find very rewarding.” It was this attitude that led to Ewa being crowned winner of the Service Excellence category, sponsored by HRA Pharma.

One area in which Ewa really shines is smoking cessation. She comments: “I have the knowledge and skills to support the patient, but it is the empathy and understanding of how to support the particular individual that makes all the difference.” She cites the example of a man who had stumbled over several quit attempts and admitted he also had a problem with alcohol. Ewa shifted his mindset from dwelling on his failings to the progress that he had made in cutting back on his cigarette consumption, and then capitalised on his newfound confidence to encourage him to try to quit again. She also helped him identify that his unhealthy habits stemmed partly from boredom, so suggested voluntary work or helping a neighbour as a way of overcoming this hurdle.

Ewa explains: “He is doing well so far, and I’m always touched that every time he is asked by the pharmacist how he is doing with his smoking, his reply is ‘Ask her!’.” She finds this role difficult but rewarding, and she considers the key to her success to be regarding patients as valued individuals that she cares for rather than nameless faces.

Ewa’s main role at Kellaway Pharmacy in Bristol, a branch of the independent MJ Williams chain, is dispensing assistant. Here, again, she shines, providing patients with clear explanations or reminders to make it easier for them to take their prescribed medicines, and commenting: “It is very gratifying to see the difference our services make to them.”

The judging panel heralded Ewa’s emotional intelligence, dedication and ability to win customers’ confidence in order to produce the best patient outcomes, with Deborah Evans, managing director of Pharmacy Complete, saying: “Ewa shows empathy and excellent consultation skills and knowledge... she applies the theory in an intuitive way to get results.”

Fellow judge and president of the Association of Pharmacy Technicians UK Tess Fenn was particularly struck by Ewa, stating: “Her words ‘It’s only those who never try that fail. Those that fail are only one step away from success and we know we will help you succeed’ given to the patient that had repeatedly tried to stop smoking and felt he was a lost cause, really struck a chord with me. How wonderful to be able to help and support this patient and try to build his self-worth. This is what community pharmacy is about and we need to shout it from the rooftops.”