Pharmacy support staff from across the UK were celebrated at the Recognition of Excellence (RoE) Awards on 20 June as the pharmacy sector joined together to recognise and reward the very best in community pharmacy

Hosted by Training Matters, the Awards took place at a gala lunch in the stunning surroundings of The Dorchester on London’s Park Lane. Our 30 finalists joined the top brass of the pharmacy industry and special guest speaker and rugby legend Jonny Wilkinson to celebrate the best of medicines counter assistants, delivery drivers, dispensing assistants and pharmacy technicians who go above and beyond their duty to support their customers, patients, pharmacies and communities.

TM managing editor Gemma Woodall, said: “We were blown away by the number of entries and nominations we received this year and the standard was remarkable. The commitment, enthusiasm and passion of pharmacy teams to their customers, patients and communities is something that’s definitely worth celebrating and that’s why we’re here today. The judges had an unenviable task in choosing our 30 finalists and they really are the best of the best.”

Our 2018 finalists

Customer Care Award

Winner: Joanne Sandland, Pharmacy Assistant, Well Pharmacy, Norton Canes, Staffordshire
Highly commended: Jayne Cawthorne, Pharmacy Assistant, Day Lewis Pharmacy, Monkwood, Yorkshire Nicola Hawkins, Dispensing Assistant, Boots UK, Newland Avenue, Hull

Infant Care Champion

Winner: Corinne Thomas, Sales Assistant, LloydsPharmacy, Northwich, Cheshire
Highly commended: Sharon Edwards, Accuracy Checking Technician, Rowlands Pharmacy, Flint, Flintshire Debbie Starr, Lead Counter Assistant, City Pharmacy, Portsmouth

Healthy Living Advisor Award

Winner: Katie Francis, Dispensing Assistant, Day Lewis Pharmacy, Norwich Road, Ipswich
Highly commended: Lesley Vernoum-Norman, Lead Dispensing Assistant, Abbotswood Pharmacy, Bristol Tyly Roberts, Accuracy Checking Technician, Rowlands Pharmacy, Bala, Gwynedd

Retail Skills Award

Winner: Harjit Kaur Aietan, OTC Lead, LloydsPharmacy, Allestree, Derby
Highly commended: Bibiana Zaadi, Retail Manager, Warman Freed Pharmacy, London Nadine McKay, Trainee Pharmacy Technician, Right Medicine Pharmacy, Brora, Sutherland

Service Excellence Award

Winner: Charlotte Culmer, Counter Manager, TemplePharmacy, Plumstead, London
Highly commended: Jayne Underhill, Medicines Counter Assistant, Ivor Owen Pharmacy, Penarth, South Wales Emma Moore, Pharmacy Technician, Parade Pharmacy, Chorleywood, Hertfordshire

Team Leader Award

Winner: Shahean Khatun, Manager, Well Pharmacy, Epping, Essex
Highly commended: Dawn Parry, Branch Manager, Well Pharmacy, Croftfoot Road in Glasgow Rachel Large, NHS Standards Technician, Well Pharmacy, Manchester

Counter Intelligence Award

Winner: June Cambridge-Rose, Healthy Living Champion and Retail Specialist, Bedminster Pharmacy in Bristol
Highly commended: Debbie Starr, Lead Counter Assistant, City Pharmacy, Portsmouth Bibiana Zaadi, Retail Manager, Warman Freed Pharmacy, London

Innovation Award

Winner: Saira Begum, Non-Pharmacist Manager, Speaks Pharmacy, Bolton
Highly commended: Annie Mills, Dispensing Assistant, Right Medicine Pharmacy, Fallin, Stirling Linda Bowkett, Area Stock Manager, Mayberry Pharmacy Group, Blackwood, South Wales

Pharmacy Champion Award

Winner: Shirley Jamieson, Delivery Driver, Bedminster Pharmacy, Bristol
Highly commended: Glenn Johnson, Delivery Driver, Well Pharmacy, Rossendale, Lancashire Milton Kent Nuako Owusu, Fieldway Pharmacy, New Addington, London

Rising Star Award

Winner: Alice Sparks, Pharmacy Assistant at Bampton Pharmacy, Bampton, Devon
Highly commended: Debbie Starr, Lead Counter Assistant, City Pharmacy, Portsmouth Sophie Shanks, Healthcare Assistant, LloydsPharmacy, Buckley, Flintshire

Outstanding Contribution Award

Winner: Angela Lewis, Accuracy Checking Technician, Grangetown Pharmacy, Middlesbrough
Highly commended: Lorna Laurence, Accuracy Checking Technician, Well Pharmacy, Bolton-le-Sands, Lancashire Catherine Whittaker, Accuracy Checking Technician/Pharmacy Manager, Boots UK, Oulton, Suffolk

Spotlight Award

Winner: Angela Lewis, Accuracy Checking Technician, Grangetown Pharmacy, Middlesbrough