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Alexis Bayley.jpg

Here, there and everywhere

Alexis Bayley.jpg

Here, there and everywhere

Alexis Bayley has three different public facing roles in her community, which she loves because it means that she has three different opportunities to help people

There can't be many people living in Alexis Bayley's community in Pillgwenly (commonly shortened to Pill) who haven't benefited from her assistance at some point or other. Not only does Alexis work five days a week at local independent community pharmacy, Pill Pharmacy, but she also spends two afternoons each week at a general store located inside a sheltered housing centre, as well as helping out every other Saturday in the Post Office.

"I love every single one of my roles. I enjoy working with my colleagues, getting out and about and chatting with people and getting to know them," she says. "I'm here, there and everywhere."

Responsible roles

Pillgwenly is a close-knit community, and Pill Pharmacy and Post Office, which are both owned by pharmacist Asim Ali, are very much at the heart of it. The pharmacy opened in 2005 and Alexis joined the team in 2010, after she was made redundant from her previous role.

Alexis fitted into the team perfectly and soon progressed through her medicines counter assistant training and completed a supervisor course to allow her to take on the responsible role of overseeing the day-to-day running of the pharmacy's shop floor.

"I am in charge of ordering and managing all the OTC medicines, including both GSL and P medicines, and deciding which promotions to run with the staff," says Alexis. "We promote campaigns such as Stoptober and sign up patients for services that they could benefit from, such as a flu vaccination or the stop smoking programme, and go through all the paperwork with them."

With so many tasks to juggle, it's essential that Alexis can rely on the support of her colleagues. "We have a close bond and all help each other out," she says.

Community hub

About a year ago, Pill Pharmacy and Post Office relocated into two bigger, adjoining premises further along from their original location on Commercial Road.

The new pharmacy boasts a much larger dispensary, complete with designated areas for deliveries, dispensing and checking, controlled drugs and nursing home medicines, as well as three modern, fully equipped treatment rooms, which Asim lets out to other healthcare providers, including a private GP, a physiotherapist and a podiatrist.

"The move took a couple of months and all the staff pitched in," explains Alexis. "We had a grand opening attended by the Mayor, as well as local residents, GPs and nurses. We love the new building. It was like moving from a flat to a house, we have so much more space!"

Alexis believes that Pill Pharmacy has become a community hub where local residents can come to ask all manner of questions about their health and wellbeing, and they really trust the advice they receive. The pharmacy is a sponsor of Pill Football Club and has won several accolades, including Independent Pharmacy Practice of the Year at the Welsh Pharmacy Awards 2015.

The fact that the pharmacy is accessed via the same door as the Post Office, which also provides valuable services to Pill residents, enhances its role as a local hub in the heart of the community. "The pharmacy has really helped to improve the area. Asim is very highly regarded in the community. People really trust him and consider him a friend; they are always coming in to talk to him," says Alexis.

Integrated services

After consulting with the local community and other local healthcare providers, Pill Pharmacy developed its range of services to ensure that they are fully integrated with primary care services in the area and tailored to meet the needs of patients.

The pharmacy offers a wide range of services, including free blood pressure monitoring and diabetes checks to all of its patients, as well as offering ongoing support and selfmanagement advice for patients with long-term conditions. This includes providing footcare tips to diabetes patients and booking them a session with the podiatrist.

Other innovative pharmacy services available include a MASTA travel clinic, offering meningitis vaccinations and malaria medication, and a wig fitting service for patients who have lost their hair, perhaps through cancer. Alexis finds this service particularly rewarding.

"We have great relationships with all the local GPs and whenever we start a new service Asim always invites them to the pharmacy so that they can see it for themselves," she says. "The wig-fitting service is entirely nonjudgemental and confidential. It's a simple thing that makes a big difference to people's wellbeing."

A familiar face

Over the years, Alexis has got to know many of her customers well and can often remember their prescriptions and addresses as well as their names. Due to this knowledge of her customers and their trust in her, Alexis often orders pharmacy stock based on their needs and preferences.

"As I know my customers so well I know the sort of products they like to use so I choose to order products from company reps if I think that someone would really like them," she explains. "We like to help customers as much as we possibly can and whatever problems they have, we do our best to try and resolve them. People come in to see us before their GP."

Alexis extends the same level of care to her role in the Post Office next door and also at the Capel Court housing scheme shop, where she provides a personal service, which includes wrapping gifts, writing cards and bringing them back to the Post Office for delivery, as well as simply sitting and having a chat.

"I am a familiar face in the neighbourhood," she says. "When people ask especially for me, I know it's because I've helped them before, and they think that I could help them again, and that puts a smile on my face."

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