Capital Chemist Southlands stands out for its comprehensive approach to healthcare and pharmacy services. The team, led by Stacey Fuller and Louise McLean, has built a pharmacy that not only serves the community but also leads the way in professional innovation and effective business management.

Louise says being named as one of six pharmacies to be finalists in the 2024 Guild Pharmacy of the Year Awards is “quite awesome”.

“I love that we were nominated by a customer, I think that’s really beautiful.”

The pharmacy’s commitment to community engagement is evident through their support of various local events and causes, such as the Special Children’s Christmas Party and Ronald McDonald House.

This engagement extends beyond events, with active support for educational initiatives for students and intern pharmacists. Regular lectures on vaccination and Opioid Maintenance Therapy (OMT) provided to University of Canberra students showcase their dedication to nurturing future healthcare professionals.

When it comes to professional innovation, Capital Chemist Southlands offers a selective yet well-executed range of services. They have a special focus on medicinal cannabis dispensing that they pioneered in the ACT, noticing an opportunity in the local market.

The pharmacy’s efforts in educating both professionals and patients around the benefits of medicinal cannabis, including setting up a dedicated Facebook group for pharmacist support, highlight their commitment to continuous learning and community engagement.

Louise says the pharmacy is also supportive of medicinal cannabis as a means to help patients.

“There was definite need from our patients for the service and they would come to us.

She has since learnt a lot more about medicinal cannabis because there’s new information about the treatment being published consistently.

“I said, ‘Let me learn’ and that was really hard (because) where do I go to learn….so that we can adequately support the patients and not make any dispensing errors.

Louise is now so knowledgeable on the topic she is working with other health professionals such as psychologists in helping treat patients properly.

Stacey and Louise have developed their business model thoughtfully and strategically. After completing significant renovations to enhance service delivery, including the installation of additional consulting rooms and a ROWA dispensing robot, services have been expanded to include National Immunisation Program (NIP) vaccinations and private consultations for health services.

“One hundred per cent our focus is service,” said Louise.

“The big thing is at any one time we have a lot of pharmacists working.”

She says on busy days there can be as many ten pharmacists on duty, up from the usual eight.

“There’s very much that white coat presentation, and every customer who walks through the door will be served by one of us at some point.”

The team’s proactive approach to adapting to market changes, like partnering with online services for prescription orders, demonstrates their agility and foresight in business operations.

“We don’t want to do everything because then you don’t do anything well, so we focus on what we can do well and that’s kind of the motto we stick with,” Lousie said.

Overall, Capital Chemist Southlands exemplifies a pharmacy that tailors its business strategy to a deep understanding of its community, demonstrating leadership in professional healthcare services, and excelling in business management.

At the heart of the Emerton community, 50km west of Sydney’s CBD, lies a pharmacy with a vision for more than just medications. Emerton Amcal Pharmacy, under the passionate leadership of Margaret Rahnau, Curtis Rahnau, and Matthew Quick, has become a cornerstone of community health and innovation.

Their philosophy, according to Curtis is "never see a need without trying to do something about it," and has transformed the pharmacy into a hub of health services and community engagement.

“The Blacktown local government area is a very culturally diverse community and reflective of that, our staff are very culturally diverse,” said Curtis Rahnau.

“We have pharmacists from Fijian Indian background, Afghanistan, Syria, another one from Iraq, another one from Lebanon and our non-pharmacist staff are just as diverse including Australian First Nations.”

Their journey began with volunteering at Marrin Weejali Health Outreach, and since then, their community involvement has grown exponentially. They have been integral in health programs at Marrin Weejali, a local Aboriginal controlled Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) service and have actively participated in events like International Overdose Awareness Day and Mental Health Day.

“They really don’t care who you are they will help you no matter who you are.

“I walk taller every time I walk out of there just because of the energy and the vibe,” Curtis said.

Their collaborative efforts with Western Sydney Local Health District on Quit Smoking programs, and their role as local coordinators for the ‘Too Deadly’ for Diabetes program, highlight their commitment to public health initiatives.

Curtis said the program is making a real difference by getting real results.

“It’s actually reversing diabetes in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

“We have an Aboriginal exercise physiologist who is actually dealing with some of our most challenged and most disadvantaged groups in the country and he’s actually doing something that I was pretty sure couldn’t be done.”

Innovation at Emerton Amcal Pharmacy is evident through their development of a Webster-Pak booklet. Designed to simplify medication management for patients, this booklet has since been adopted by Webstercare for wider use. Their expertise in pharmacy services is acknowledged by local doctors, who frequently recommend their reliable and accurate Webster-Pak service.

The pharmacy's design reflects their inclusive approach, with features like a moving wall for group sessions and integrated spaces for Opioid Replacement Therapy and Needle and Syringe Return programs, aiming to reduce stigma and maintain efficient workflow.

Their business management strategy focuses on filling community health needs, and they continuously seek to raise the status of the pharmacy profession. The team's commitment to professional development is evident in their participation in various health programs and cultural competency courses, ensuring they can effectively serve their diverse community.

The ethos of Emerton Amcal Pharmacy is encapsulated in Margaret's words, "we meet people where they are." This reflects their dedication to serving the community not just within the pharmacy but also outside, always aiming to leave the world a better place.

Or as Curtis sums it up, “No matter how people say welcome or how they identify we want them to know they’re welcome by all of us in our pharmacy.”

The owner of Narrabri Pharmacy says being a finalist for the 2024 Guild Pharmacy of the Year Awards is “humbling.”

Karen Carter says it’s a boost for her and her staff to know that their efforts at the pharmacy are being recognised by the community.

“I guess it gives our staff a benchmark to say, ‘well we are actually doing really well so we really appreciate it,” she said.

Narrabri Pharmacy has exemplified the adage of turning a crisis into an opportunity. Three years ago, Karen Carter and her team experienced difficulty in attracting pharmacists to the area.  To adapt, they looked at ways to maximise efficiencies to free up existing staff to focus on their patients.

“Being able to pivot and move quickly to put a service in is something that makes Narrabri Pharmacy quite special,” said Karen.

The pharmacy’s staff explored opportunities to promote sales and customer growth and adapt to the changing pharmacy landscape including scope of practice.

Automation was implemented and they introduced initiatives to address falling vaccination rates.  These included measures like pharmacy staff going to worksites such as mines and farms from 6am to offer vaccination to workers, especially some men who may not go out of their way to be vaccinated.

Community engagement is a recurring theme at Narrabri Pharmacy.  Staff team up with their community for charity and special events such as R U OK Day, The Biggest Morning Tea, breast cancer awareness and Footy Colours Day.

The pharmacy’s staff engage with First Nation’s people through the Indigenous DAA service to improve health outcomes including special promotions such as blood pressure checks during NAIDOC week.

The pharmacy is also relied on by older Australians in Narrabri through the medicine delivery service and Webster-Paks for residential aged care facilities.

Staff have also undergone additional training to be able to treat and care for wounds with the pharmacy housing consult room for this care to be carried out in private.

The pharmacy has also taken advantage of modern technology by using dispensing robots and Scrypt messaging to streamline the dispensing of prescribed medicine.

“We recognised we needed more time for our pharmacists and so we have a dispensing robot to allow our dispense staff to work quite well in the dispensary and have that accuracy…to allow us to spend more time with our patients.”

The team review their business goals every month which has helped the pharmacy grow its patient base and sales over past years.

Narrabri Pharmacy and its staff are deserved finalists of the 2024 Guild Pharmacy of the Year Awards.

Chemist Discount Centre Gosnells, located in the multicultural Noarlunga Health Hub, serves a diverse community with significant Indigenous and socio-economic challenges. Under the leadership of owner Gary Khoo, the pharmacy tailors its services to meet the varied health needs of its customers, many managing chronic conditions like diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

The pharmacy is now one of six to be named as a finalist in the 2024 Guild Pharmacy of the Year Awards.

Owner Gary Khoo says it is an honour and credits his staff for making Chemist Discount Centre Gosnells a finalist.

“Obviously without my team I can’t be where I am today,” he said.

As a discount pharmacy, Chemist Discount Centre Gosnells strikes a balance between affordability and quality service. This approach ensures accessible healthcare without compromising on comprehensive service delivery. Their commitment to high service standards at discounted prices underscores their dedication to community health.

“We are very proud that what we are implementing in Gosnells is having an impact.

Gary Khoo and his team collaborate closely with local health professionals, including General Practitioners, to address community health needs. This collaborative approach strengthens their network, enabling effective community service.

The pharmacy's outreach extends through print and digital media, effectively promoting health messages like COVID and Influenza vaccination awareness. Regular communication with nearly 10,000 customers via loyalty programs and mobile SMS ensures widespread dissemination of health updates and services.

In 2023, Chemist Discount Centre Gosnells maximized health promotional resources, focusing on areas such as Suncare, Vaccination, Diabetes, and Asthma Management. Offering health information in various formats makes it accessible to more members of the community.

Gary Khoo also led the pharmacy to understand specific needs in the local demographic. The pharmacy began to supply medicinal cannabis, filling a service gap for his patients with chronic pain. This involved training pharmacists and assisting local doctors in becoming authorised prescribers.

“With the skills set that I have I can collaborate with my local GPs, and I talk to them and implement the two strategies which is medicinal cannabis and nicotine vapes.”

The pharmacy also developed Nicotine Vaping Products (NVPs) as an alternative smoking cessation aid, addressing the high smoking rates in the community. This initiative aligns with their commitment to reducing the health impacts of smoking.

Investing in a robotic DAA packing machine, the pharmacy improved its efficiency, allowing pharmacists to focus more on customer engagement. This automation helps the pharmacy meet their efficiency goals.

Chemist Discount Centre Gosnells is a worthy finalist of the 2024 Guild Pharmacy of the Year award. Gary Khoo's hands-on leadership, along with the team's commitment to meeting community needs, embodies the pharmacy's ethos of "Expert Advice with Lower Prices."

“If we do win the Pharmacy of the Year, that would give us more confidence to do better in the coming years,” Gary said.

The Store Manager at Priceline Pharmacy at Kincumber on the NSW Central Coast says it feels “amazing” to be named as a finalist for the 2024 Guild Pharmacy of the Year Awards.

Ally Newell says becoming a finalist was on their ‘to do list’ for this year and now they have achieved their goal.

“It feels like all our hard work has paid off to be honest,” said Ally as she began her shift at the pharmacy.

Priceline Pharmacy at Kincumber is focused on community engagement, a wide range of patient services, additional training for staff and rewards for high performing staff.

With five surrounding retirement villages or resorts, a big part of the pharmacy’s focus is dose administration aids (DAA) for seniors in Kincumber and the surrounding area.

Ally says the pharmacy prepares over 400 community Webster Paks each week, with each package expertly prepared and checked by experienced staff.

“We’re massive on making sure everyone is taking their meds right.”

The DAA team of Taylor and Cheryl have 60 years’ experience between them, earning them the trust of their patients.

The pharmacy also delivers to older residents in the area five times a week.

It is truly admirable that the pharmacy’s staff have initiated more social based programs, recognising the decline of social interaction among older Australians.

“Sometimes they don’t even get to have any connection with anybody outside of their house, so things like that just to connect with them and brighten their day,” said Ally.

Women patients are also a big focus of Priceline Pharmacy Kincumber with staff actively promoting services to women in the community, especially new mothers.

Through its trusted suppliers, staff prepare sample packs for mothers to try, so they learn which brands and products suit them.

“Each week we take that up to the neighbourhood centre for them to have. Like a grocery store, but it’s free every week and people can come in and pick up whatever they need for that week,” Ally said.

The pharmacy has also formed a partnership with the local district health care centre which sees the centre referring new mothers to the pharmacy for in-pharmacy services such as baby weighing.

Priceline Pharmacy Kincumber also celebrates women’s sport by sponsoring the Kincumber Colts Rugby League Team. For the team’s ‘Ladies Day’ the pharmacy was printed on the Colts’ pink jersey.

The pharmacy has also come up with fun initiatives to recognise the importance and value of its patients, customers and staff.

For example, its pharmacy awards its ‘Customer of the Month’ where the celebrated customer has a photo taken and the image is then displayed in the pharmacy for the whole month.

It’s been such a hit Ally says some award winners bring friends and family into the pharmacy to show them their picture on the wall.

“If I’m a bit slow in putting the photos up and I get a bit busy and it takes a week or so, they come up and ask, ‘Is my photo on the wall yet?’ and then they go and find themselves, it’s really nice.”

The pharmacy has also initiated its ‘Random Acts of Kindness’ deliveries where to brighten a patient’s day they are given a surprise delivery package such as flowers or chocolates or both!

Staff are rewarded and recognised too with their goals set out on a chart and once achieved are rewarded with vouchers and pizzas for lunch.

With such dedication to patients, customers and staff, Priceline Pharmacy Kincumber is a deserved finalist for the 2024 Guild Pharmacy of the Year.

Colonnades TerryWhite Chemmart (TWCM) Pharmacy is nestled within the Noarlunga Health Hub, located a half-hour’s drive south of Adelaide CBD. Owners Matthew Gillespie and Anghus Hall provide comprehensive health services and proactive participation in the community's well-being, making the pharmacy’s commitment to healthcare excellence evident in how they operate.

It’s now one of six pharmacies to be named as finalists for the 2024 Guild Pharmacy of the Year.

Anghus Hall says it is the work the pharmacy does with the community which inspired their nomination for the award.

“I think we entered the competition on the back of the work we do within our community,” he said.

The pharmacy's approach is characterised by active engagement with customers. Pharmacy assistants, students, interns, and pharmacists employ forward dispensing, allowing for direct interaction on the shop floor. This approach ensures personalised attention, setting Colonnades apart from other pharmacies. It's not just about dispensing medication but about ensuring every customer receives excellent service and valuable health advice.

“We’re open seven days a week, and we make all services to the community available on any day at any time,” said Anghus.

Colonnades Pharmacy's strategic location within a large shopping centre and its proximity to Noarlunga Hospital and the Aboriginal Family Clinic have enabled strong relationships and collaboration with other services. The pharmacy efficiently manages a range of prescriptions, including DAAs and those for acute, emergency, and palliative care. This has not only contributed to their growth, but also fulfilled an urgent need for care within the local community.

Recognising local health needs, Colonnades expanded its health aid section, enhancing the availability of medical aids like moon boots and crutches. The pharmacy's active use of social media for promotion has furthered its reach, allowing it to provide healthcare to more patients.

Colonnades has also expanded its vaccination service, offering in-store and offsite clinics to organisations including the Department of Child Protection (DCP). Social workers at DCP appreciate the convenient service and how it facilitates easier coordination for family vaccinations.

“We left the four walls of the pharmacy and provided health checks, provided education, went into other businesses and provided services on site,” Anghus said.

A newly built second clinic room, isolated from the main pharmacy area, provides a private and safe space for services like vaccinations, an area that is particularly busy during the flu season!

“We’ve just promoted what pharmacy can do for the public in a health sense.”

Their ventures into alternative therapies, such as partnering with Metagenics for Practitioner Only Vitamins, have opened up new revenue streams. A collaboration with a local osteopath has enhanced their joint therapy offerings, further diversifying their service range.

Colonnades Pharmacy's involvement in the community extends to supporting women’s health through partnerships with local sports teams like the South Adelaide Football Club’s Women's Team. Their sponsorship includes providing team uniforms.

“We employ some of their staff, but we sponsor them heavily, we engage with local businesses to promote that via social media,” Anghus said.

Additionally, their support for the Port Noarlunga Bowls Club goes beyond financial contributions, offering healthcare advice and services to club members.

The introduction of a dedicated Homy Ped area in the pharmacy caters to specific footwear needs (including for diabetics) further showcasing the pharmacy's commitment to diverse patient groups.

“It has a shoe range that provides comfort, particularly aimed at diabetics to help with their blood flow but also to provide stability for our generally older customers.”

Overall, Colonnades TWCM Pharmacy’s model blends healthcare services with community engagement and strategic business management. Their continuous innovation, responsiveness to community needs, and commitment to providing a diverse range of services and products make them a vital asset to their community.