2 Min In Practice
Follow this topic
Bookmark
Record learning outcomes
Natalie Burgin is no newcomer to the world of community pharmacy, having started her first role more than three decades ago. Since then, she has pivoted here and there, but has always found herself motivated to deliver the highest standard of care to her community.
“My career in community pharmacy began 31 years ago and it’s all down to my mum,” Natalie explains. “I was 18 years old and working alongside her at her florist. I’ve always been arty and creative, but I think we both knew early on that floristry wasn’t really for me.
“Without me knowing anything about it, one day she just walked across the street from her florist and into the pharmacy and asked if they were looking for trainees. The rest, as they say, is history.”
Clearly, Natalie’s mum knew her daughter very well, as Natalie has gone on to enjoy an exciting and varied career, even finding herself owning a late-night pharmacy at one point.
“I’ve been an area manager. I even left community for a time to work in hospital pharmacy, but I missed being around patients too much and came back,” Natalie says. “I trained as an accuracy checking technician (ACT) and now I’m a clinical services lead and pharmacy manager.”
No place like home
Working in the town she is from, Bridlington, Natalie enjoys uniquely close relationships with her customers, something she feels strongly influences her ability to provide patient-centred, tailored care.
“I’ve known some of my patients for 31 years and they’ve changed their pharmacies with me, which is lovely and, obviously, a huge compliment that they trust my advice and care.
I know most of my patients by name. I know their families. Some of my patients I even went to school with,” she says. “There’s a real, tight-knit community in Bridlington. I really feel that the more you know your patients, the better the care you can provide because they trust you, you understand how they live and what’s important to them.”
Luckily for Natalie, she has had much more time to spend interacting with customers after her pharmacy started dispensing through HubRx. “The part of community pharmacy I love is spending time with patients, not being stuck behind the dispensing counter,” she says.
By the same token, although she was grateful to expand her training and qualify as an accuracy checking technician, Natalie was finding her days too monotonous. “I was standing checking prescriptions day in, day out, and it just felt so repetitive,” she says.
“I was itching to spend more time with patients. I wanted to get out and about within the community, to be more involved in services. But as an ACT I just never had the time.
“Thankfully that all changed when the pharmacy made the decision to automate its repeat dispensing through HubRx. Occasionally, I’m in the dispensary using my ACT skills, but mostly I’m with patients – which is just what I want.”
“The more you know your patients, the better the care you can provide, because they trust you”
Busy is good
Now, no two days look the same for Natalie. “There’s never really a typical day in pharmacy,” she says. “The only typical part is you know it’s going to be busy!”
On any given day, Natalie could be helping with meningitis vaccinations, running the adult ear wax removal service – which she loves – overseeing services at two other branches, or (her favourite) running the weight management service.
“I see on average 30 to 35 patients each month, although sometimes there’s been as many as 50,” Natalie says. “The response we’ve received since launching the service has been incredible and it’s brought me a lot of career satisfaction.”
The service has been so popular – and successful. “We go that extra mile for patients. We see them every month – weekly if they want to,” Natalie explains. “We provide advice on nutrition, exercise – you name it. And we run a WhatsApp group.”
When asked to reflect on the most recent year of her 31 in pharmacy, Natalie outlines one particular highlight. Her pharmacy, alongside the local PCN organised an NHS App clinic for elderly patients struggling with technology.
“It’s almost taken for granted that we all want the convenience of technology to order our prescriptions and book NHS appointments,” says Natalie.
“But for some older people who don’t own a smart phone or have internet at home, it can be really frustrating and distressing. So, we hired a village hall for a day and encouraged anyone struggling to stop by for help. That was a pretty rewarding day.”
Apart from seeing the tangible difference her team is making in the community, Natalie says it is the team themselves who keep her going.
“They make my day. We all support each other, pull together and motivate one another. Even on the most challenging days, having a team like this around you keeps you cheerful.”
It’s fair to say that Natalie’s team and community can be grateful to her mum for pushing her through the pharmacy doors all those years ago.
Share:
In Practice