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Photography Credit: Nathalie Crouch Photography
Above: Shelley's Pharmacy Team
Shelley’s Pharmacy, Birmingham
Pharmacy Team of the Year Winner
The true potential of community pharmacy is best achieved when a team knows how to work together. Recognising the different strengths and skills brought by each team member, cultivating an atmosphere of support amongst colleagues, and sharing the same understanding or common goal are what makes certain teams stand out from the rest – and this is what Shelley’s Pharmacy showed in abundance.
Small but mighty
“Shelley’s Pharmacy is a small-to-medium sized community pharmacy located in one of the most densely populated wards in Birmingham. We serve a predominantly low-to-middle income population, characterised by a younger age profile and a high proportion of ethnically diverse residents,” explained their nomination.
“The area experiences significant socioeconomic deprivation, with lower employment rates and income levels compared to city averages, alongside a higher-than-average unemployment rate. These challenges drive increased demand for accessible, community-based healthcare services, positioning our pharmacy as a vital frontline provider.”
Even up against these pressures, the pharmacy team delivers a consistently high standard of care and patient satisfaction. This is all the more impressive considering that the team is small, comprising of just seven staff members – four full-time and three part-time.
“This team is a clear example of one size doesn’t fit all,” said RoE judge and 2024 Spotlight Award winner, Rachel Graham. “In the challenging economic world we live in, it feels like this team has created a level playing field for their community to thrive. They have created a model and an ethos that meets the needs of the patients that need them, and that is extremely incredible with the challenges pharmacy are facing.”
The Shelley’s Pharmacy team truly excel in the services they are offering to their community, providing an accessible door to healthcare crucial in their area. Their smoking cessation service generates £50,000+ annually and each year supports over 100 patients, with an 86 per cent quit rate.
The team has also excelled in delivering Pharmacy First services, with impressive figures to show for it. “Working in alignment with NHS priorities, we have embedded Pharmacy First as a core clinical offering,” said the team.
“Since launch, we have delivered 13,000+ consultations, averaging over 6,000 annually, including around 3,000 sore throat and 2,000 UTI cases, generating £90,000 in revenue. This service has freed up 6,000+ GP appointments yearly, reduced pressure on local practices, improved same-day access to care, and enabled GPs to focus on complex cases.”
These are merely highlights of an extensive list of impressive statistics, underpinned by a coherent desire from the team to provide timely, reliable and effective healthcare to their community.
“This Pharmacy application demonstrates the amazing and outstanding achievements of a team who all work collaboratively to get to a common goal,” said RoE judge Amy Laflin, APTUK president.
Rainbow Pharmacy, Ipswich
Pharmacy Team of the Year Highly Commended
The Rainbow Pharmacy team deservedly won Highly Commended this year for their impressive ability to adapt to change, administer services, and remain a hub of knowledge, trust and reliability for their community.
“Over the past year, the team has undergone a remarkable transformation, significantly expanding clinical services and operational efficiency,” said their nomination.
“Rainbow Pharmacy is more than just a pharmacy – it is a centre of clinical excellence, innovation, and community care. What truly sets this team apart is their commitment to patient outcomes, not just service delivery; their investment in people, empowering staff to grow and thrive; their ability to embrace change, modernising processes without losing their personal touch; and strong leadership combined with genuine compassion, creating a culture where both patients and staff feel valued.”
The judges wholeheartedly agreed with the Rainbow Pharmacy’s nomination, with many expressing amazement at the team’s achievements. “Their level of clinical excellence and forward-thinking approach to care really stood out. They are delivering valuable and varied services to support their community,” said Emma Charlesworth, head of marketing operations at Numark.
Fellow judge Ade Williams MBE, superintendent pharmacist of Bedminster Pharmacy, described the team as “a team that embodies the vision and drive to become a centre of clinical excellence and access for the neighbourhood healthcare”.
Verwood Pharmacy, Verwood
Pharmacy Team of the Year Highly Commended
There is no doubt that the team at Verwood Pharmacy are valued and adored by their community, as evidenced by their 4.9 star Google Review rating and abundance of positive customer feedback.
Despite operating in an area with limited healthcare infrastructure, they have been able to maintain high levels of patient satisfaction, grow their clinical services hub and a embed a culture of learning and development amongst all team members.
“This pharmacy has shown passion, growth and support for patients in a smaller community, where not everything is accessible and available to all. The pharmacy is open, inclusive and knocks down barriers for patient care daily,” said APTUK president and RoE judge Amy Laflin.
Another judge, Rachel Graham – our RoE 2024 Spotlight Award winner – was blown away by the Verwood team’s entry. “Exceptional. This is a team that truly believes in itself. You can feel their commitment as you read the words in each of their nominations,” said Rachel.
“Community pharmacy is tough. Add to that the responsibility of their limited healthcare infrastructure, and here we have a team that have absolutely stepped up to support their community. Reading their nomination, you get a sense that the residents of Verwood are very well cared for by this team, and that living in a rural location doesn’t mean compromising your healthcare needs.”
With a 24/7 collection robot, four clinic rooms, advanced staff training and a range of services, they are indeed, as judge Mike Holden, managing director of MH Associates, said: “A team built on excellence, delivering a step-change in clinical service provision.”
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