Training Matters celebrated in style with the RoE Awards 2021 finalists and the top brass of the pharmacy industry on 21 September

The sensational 8 Northumberland Avenue in London’s West End provided an impressive backdrop for the return of the Recognition of Excellence (RoE) Awards ceremony after 2020’s pandemic-related hiatus.

Once again, these awards – the only national awards exclusively for UK community pharmacy support staff – were a stand out success and it was all down to the incredible stories of commitment, passion, dedication and unparalleled levels of care demonstrated by each and every finalist in their entries and nominations.

“What has been achieved in community pharmacy in the 547 days since the start of the first lockdown cannot be overstated. It’s nothing short of phenomenal,” said TM’s editor Helena Beer during the Awards on 21 September. “Putting in extra hours; cancelling annual leave; covering for shielding colleagues; making medication deliveries on the way home after a long day; offering emotional support to worried, vulnerable or lonely customers and patients – not everyone would have the instinct or necessary strength to do such things. But community pharmacy teams have made these personal sacrifices for the greater good, driven by an innate desire to help people. And that is something to celebrate.”

The pharmacy sector’s great and good came together to do just that: recognise, reward and raise a glass to these incredible community pharmacy staff, for whom going above and beyond the call of duty is just part of the every day.

NEW Pharmacy Team of the Year

^{Sponsored by Viatris}
To recognise a pharmacy team making waves in the industry and supporting customers and patients with impressive teamwork, productive workflows, shared values, joint learning and innovative ideas.

Winner:

The Mall Pharmacy, Luton, Bedfordshire

Highly commended:

Village Pharmacy Cosby, Leicestershire
Safedale Pharmacy Church Street, Stoke Newington, London.

Counter Intelligence Award

^{Sponsored by Rhinomed}
To reward a member of the team who excels in OTC product knowledge and is highly skilled at recognising symptoms, recommending the right products along with the right advice and referring appropriately.

Winner:

Katy Mead, trainee pharmacy advisor, Boots UK, The Borough, Farnham, Surrey

Highly commended:

Verina Matthews, healthcare partner, LloydsPharmacy, Westlands Grove, Fareham, Hampshire
Liliana Lemajic, customer advisor, Boots UK, 193 Oxford Street, City of Westminster, London.

Customer Care Award

^{Sponsored by Lovima}
To recognise someone who has consistently provided excellent customer care, demonstrated impressive consultation skills and gone the extra mile to help a customer.

Winner:

Alison Curtis, accuracy checking technician, Day Lewis Pharmacy, Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset

Highly commended:

Donna Marshall, pharmacy advisor, Boots UK Fremington Higher Road, Barnstaple, Devon
Rachel Chrost, supervisor, Weldricks Pharmacy, Frodingham Road, Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire.

Healthy Living Advisor Award

^{Sponsored by Mentholatum}
To recognise a member of the team who is raising awareness of public health and helping their customers to live healthier lives, whether that is through engaging customers in conversations about healthy living, activities in the community, creating engaging displays within the pharmacy or through other innovative means.

Winner:

Charmaine Cole, pharmacy assistant & Healthy Living Advisor, Day Lewis Pharmacy, Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset

Highly commended:

Emma Pascall, pharmacy technician, LloydsPharmacy, Rugeley, Staffordshire
Sheena Sanhye, dispensing assistant, Honeypot Pharmacy, Harrow, London.

Outstanding Contribution Award

^{Sponsored by Precision Healthcare}
To recognise someone who has demonstrated dedication to community pharmacy and supporting customers and patients, whether that's over the course of their career, or someone who has made a significant impact through a particular project or area of work.  

Winner:

Patricia Murtagh, pharmacy assistant, Harkin’s Pharmacy, Maghera, County Derry

Highly commended:

Mitesh Patel, dispensing assistant, Morningside Pharmacy, Whitehills, Northampton, East Midlands
Margaret Ashley, lead counter assistant, Mill Pharmacy, Hadleigh, Suffolk

Pharmacy Champion Award

^{Sponsored by Alphega}
To recognise a pharmacy team member who has raised awareness of their pharmacy and promoted its services within the local community through marketing campaigns, social media and/or other innovative activities, or who has raised the profile of community pharmacy through multidisciplinary working with other healthcare providers such as GPs.   

Winner:

Heidi Norton, healthy living champion, Bidford Pharmacy, Bidford-on-Avon, Warwickshire

Highly commended:

Lesley Vernoum-Norman, dispensing assistant, Abbotswood Pharmacy, Yate, South Gloucestershire
Abdul Mauzer, assistant manager, Day Lewis Pharmacy, Old Montague Street, Tower Hamlets, London

Retail Skills Award

^{Sponsored by Pharmacy Network News}
To reward someone who can demonstrate a sound understanding of category management and who has implemented skills and ideas that have increased OTC sales and benefitted their pharmacy and local community.

Winner:

Martin Murphy, area support manager, Right Medicine Pharmacy, Hamilton, South Lanarkshire

Highly commended:

Gregor Main, medicines counter assistant, Right Medicine Pharmacy, Kyle, Kyle of Lochalsh, Ross-shire
Rachel Coulter, medicines counter assistant, Right Medicine Pharmacy, Kings, Edinburgh

Rising Star Award

^{Sponsored by Ceuta Healthcare}
To reward someone who has started their pharmacy career in the last two years and is excelling in all aspects of their role, embracing training and opportunities and making a positive impact on their pharmacy and community.

Winner:

Richard McKay, store manager, Boots UK, Cameron Toll, Edinburgh

Highly commended:

Jenna Mckenzie, trainee dispensing assistant, Strachan Pharmacy, Banff, Aberdeenshire
Emilia Urbanska, trainee healthcare partner, LloydsPharmacy, Red Houses Parade, St Brelade, Jersey

Service Excellence Award

^{Sponsored by Excilor}
To reward someone who is supporting their community by spearheading new or popular specialist services such as sexual health, drug misuse, health screening and vaccinations.

Winner:

Sadia Khan, dispensing assistant, Deane Pharmacy, Bolton, Greater Manchester

Highly commended:

Kirby Sowden, dispensing assistant, Boots UK, Broadway Shopping Centre, Bradford, West Yorkshire

Karen Blackmore, pharmacy technician, Evergreen Pharmacy, Kings Heath, Birmingham

Team Leader Award

^{Sponsored by Aspire Pharma}
To reward a senior support team member who has stepped up and is managing all or part of the pharmacy and successfully leading a team.

Winner:

Danielle Anderson, pharmacy technician & deputy manager, Newington Pharmacy, Ramsgate, Kent

Highly commended:

Jackie Horne, non-pharmacist pharmacy manager & pre-registration trainee pharmacy technician, LloydsPharmacy, Eston, Middlesbrough, Cleveland
Grace Atlee, non-pharmacist pharmacy manager, Well Pharmacy, Halstead, Essex.

Spotlight Award

^{Sponsored by Numark}
This award is for one of the 9 individual category winners – someone whose contribution to pharmacy is truly exceptional and who the judges believe should receive special recognition.

Winner:

Alison Curtis, accuracy checking technician, Day Lewis Pharmacy, Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset

Congratulations to all our winners and highly commended finalists!

Watch this space for more information about the finalists... Coming soon.

With special thanks to our charity partner Beyond, guest speaker Jonny Benjamin and sponsors Alphega, Aspire Pharma, Ceuta Healthcare, Deep Relief, Excilor, Lovima, Numark, Klearvol, Pharmacy Network News, Rhinomed and Viatris.