For Michelle Tingley, open communication with customers is key to a successful service

When Michelle Tingley started working at Dears Pharmacy in Glenrothes, Fife, what started out as just a job soon became a career that she loved. She progressed smoothly from medicines counter assistant to dispensing assistant and then pharmacy technician. Michelle is currently preparing for her accuracy checking technician exam, but she took time out to attend the Recognition of Excellence Awards, and was rewarded with Highly Commended for Customer Care, a category sponsored by TENA.

Michelle’s main responsibility is looking after patients on monitored dosage systems. She visits all new patients to make sure that there aren’t any medication issues or errors, and answer their questions – hugely important to a population with many housebound patients.

The reason for this service is obvious as far as Michelle is concerned: “It’s about building rapport and having a relationship. That way, if there’s a problem, I know I can call them up and ask about it, and they can do the same the other way round. Otherwise there is a danger it becomes a bit impersonal. You have to keep the channels of communication open.”

Michelle is tenacious if a problem arises, never hesitating to contact the prescriber and challenge them or offer a solution. Independent pharmacy proprietor and Awards judge Reena Barai applauded Michelle’s conscientiousness in taking care of those she feels responsible for, and there was unanimity among the panel that the pharmacy technician is a prime example of someone who “goes the extra mile”.