Recognition of Excellence Awards 2022
Amanda Dykes
In Recognition of Excellence Awards 2022
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Beginning her career in pharmacy just over six months ago after leaving behind a career in care, Amanda Dykes has already grown into a critical team member in the pharmacy
“When I started, they put me on the public counter, but after about six weeks two of the trained permanent staff in the care home department left. They asked me if I would be interested in being trained to work in that department which, with my background, I was!” she explains. “We provide medication for 12 care homes, which involves a monthly delivery as well as interim prescriptions for things like antibiotics or end of life care, medication that is a little more urgent.”
Calm and collected
This would be an enormous task for a fully qualified member of a pharmacy team, let alone a trainee. But “Amanda stays calm under the most enormous amounts of pressure, including when there is no base pharmacist and solely reliant on locums,” accordingly to pharmacy advisor Benjamin Cronin, who nominated her for the award. “She is an amazing teacher to newbies in Care Home Services (CHS) like myself and her constant dedication to the role, including working several days of her booked holiday, as well as many times going in on her days off, is just outstanding and worthy of note.”
“I completing my dispensing course but I’m also doing my training for the care home as well so there is a lot going on!” says Amanda. “I’m still trying to find my feet with it to be honest, but I’m really enjoying it.
“I would say that I am always willing to help, I am a team player and I frequently take medications to people who can’t collect them for whatever reason. I come in on my time off if needed and I just try to help as best as I can,” she adds.
“I think everyone who has a job in pharmacy should win an award to be honest. I couldn’t single myself out in any way, but I would say it’s been a very hard year for me personally and I’ve really valued this job as a new part of my life. So to have recognition for the work I’m doing has been lovely.”
“Amanda is a true star to the store and wider community, working with the CHS colleagues to make significant change to the way the store works,” says Benjamin and the judges agreed, calling her a “team player” who can clearly “quickly adapt”. “Amanda is showing a real desire to keep striving to do more in pharmacy and has already done an amazing job,” says Richard Stephenson, chief operating officer at Right Medicine Pharmacy. Richard Dunne, senior manager pharmacy learning and development at Boots UK adds: “Amanda is an amazing example of how our colleagues grow into critical support team members.”