Going the extra mile sounds like a cliché, but it is most definitely not when it comes to Jessy Gill, dispensing assistant and operational lead at Charnwood Pharmacy near Loughborough.

Highly commended in the Customer Care category, sponsored by TENA, Jessy comments: “We make sure everyone who comes in with a problem, issue or even a complaint leaves knowing we have helped them, however that may be.”

A case in point is that of someone who came into the pharmacy, unhappy with the monitored dosage service she was receiving elsewhere. Jessy went to the woman’s house and, realising that her dementia had led to her getting into a bit of a mess with her medication, secured permission to contact her GP for a prescription that rationalised the items. After the drugs had been dispensed into a blister pack, Jessy returned to the patient’s house to explain the new regimen and even now follows up with the patient to ensure she is continuing to manage her medication and stay well.

Jessy says: “None of this would be possible if my manager had not encouraged me and the team to build on relationships with surgeries and other healthcare professionals. The best feeling is when someone appreciates us going that extra mile – it makes us want to keep doing it.”

The admiration is not just one way, with the pharmacy having nearly doubled its dispensing volume in the year since Jessy joined. Awards judge and Right Medicine Pharmacy head of group operations Richard Stephenson hailed this as “a patient-centred example of the service the pharmacy provides that goes above and beyond”, and judge Salim Jetha, chief executive of Avicenna, added: “This illustrates a classic example of medicines optimisation – identifying, resolving and following up.”