In her dedication to care, Molly East stepped up to support a patient when they needed it most, demonstrating abilities beyond just her two years working in pharmacy

A bright-eyed Molly East said she was “excited but nervous” when we asked her how she was feeling prior to the awards ceremony. She had no reason to be however as she wowed the judges and took home the Rising Star Award for 2022 with Richard Dunne, senior manager pharmacy learning and development at Boots UK saying: “A number of different elements make up a great team member – Molly has it all.”

Upskilling success

It is clear that Molly was, for want of a better term, thrown in at the deep end, starting her career in pharmacy at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. “It was crazy, the other staff kept saying to me ‘it’s not normally like this!’ But I think it was the best time to learn,” she explains. “When I got there, there was no regular pharmacist and the dispenser left within my first week. We were so busy – there were queues down Canterbury high street! But I learnt quickly, and I wouldn’t change it now because it got me to where I am today.” Now Molly is the lead dispenser in the pharmacy and has completed her health champion course. “I have also just started on my technician course, which I’m loving,” she adds.  

“My words can’t express how deserving Molly would be an ideal nominee for the Rising Star Award,” says her nominator, Vee Patel, professional services lead and recruitment and development manager at E-Nova Healthcare Group. “Her dedication, professionalism and enthusiasm to learn and further herself has been breathe of fresh air.” 

Queen of the vaccine

She has also excelled in delivering the pharmacy’s services. “Molly was one the first dispensers to complete all the online training and the face-to-face training and then was signed off to be a competent vaccinator,” says Vee. 

“Again, her enthusiasm and wanting to achieve the best excelled in the vaccination program. She volunteered a number of months; her caring side came out and her competitive side also came out, trying to vaccinate the most patients in a day. She managed to vaccinate over 120 people in one day which was an outstanding achievement for someone who is relatively new to pharmacy.” 

Molly and the pharmacist also achieved an outstanding 110 per cent increase in the pharmacy’s flu vaccination service, to which RoE judge Richard Stephenson, chief operating officer at Right Medicine Pharmacy, says was a “real story of success for Molly. She has stepped in and shown a real passion for pharmacy, service and commitment to patients! A bright future ahead for sure.”

Making a difference

Molly has also built an incredible rapport with the pharmacy’s customers. When for example they realised a customer with autism, bipolar and OCD benefitted from seeing a consistent face in the pharmacy, she made it her mission to be that face, inviting him in to meet her and get to know each other. “He would then come into the pharmacy quite often and say he doesn’t want anyone else!” she explains.

“If I was on holiday he would just wait until the next week. He was so lovely; he would bring presents in at Easter and Christmas to say thank you. If there were any changes at his doctors, he would ring me to make sure I would know about it, and we’d talk it through together.”

Sadly, this patient passed away from Covid-19 last year, but we know just how much of a difference Molly must have made. All this achieved by someone who has worked in pharmacy for under two years. A true rising star.

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