IPN 2022 November

Identifying New Heights in Independent Pharmacy

Slane Pharmacy – Winners of the United Drug Business Development (Independent) Award 2022

Slane Pharmacy took home the United Drug Business Development (Independent) Award on the night.

Dermot Smyth, Pharmacist and Owner, Slane Pharmacy with Michael Taylor, Head of Sales and Retail Solutions at United Drug

The pharmacy team have overcome numerous challenges during the last year, including vaccination provision and an increased reliance on community pharmacy by patients which has resulted in the team having to react quickly and decisively to retain and grow the current business. With the support of the pharmacy team and their dedication and hard work, they have been able to survive the obstacles thrown up by the pandemic, grow the business and place it on a sound footing for the future.

2021/2022 provided many challenges for Slane Pharmacy.

The Covid-19 pandemic led to fundamental changes in how the pharmacy operated. Key challenges included:

• Electronic prescribing

• Social distancing/Infection control

• Vaccination provision

• Lockdowns leading to changes in retail patterns

• Staffing levels

• An increased reliance by patients for their healthcare and medical needs

Dermot Smyth, Pharmacist and Owner told us, “With so many challenges and so much change we had to react quickly and decisively to retain and grow our current level of business, preserve and enhance our service levels and modify our core retail sales and services to meet customer needs. With the support and hard work off our staff we have managed to survive the choppy waters of the pandemic, grow the business significantly and place it on a sound footing for the future.

“The key to surviving and thriving over the past 18 months to two years has without doubt been

having a supportive family, staff who have responded terrifically to challenges presented to them and finding good people/partners to support everything we have been trying to do here in Slane. Good relationships with customers and local voluntary organisations has also been key. As challenges arose they were dealt with.”

Dermot told us more about the key stakeholders the team worked with:

Staff - Communication, honesty and empathy were the key to getting staff buy in and cooperation. Their flexibility, patience, courage and strength have shone out throughout the pandemic

Their input to the design of our website was terrific and still Is.

Their input into the shop extension and refit we undertook means we have a store fit for pandemic purpose and one which is fit for future growth and needs

United Drug were always helpful and supportive.

Local GP surgeries - We had many teething problems with Healthmail and our local GP practices were instrumental in helping keep patients right.

Drogheda Web design - They were excellent to work with on website design and with our launch.

The Local enterprise office gave us support with grant funding for our website development.

The HSE are often criticised, but we found them really helpful particularly with our vaccination queries and issues as were the IPU who were particularly helpful with our staff issues regarding Covid and vaccinations.

Furthermore, the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland were very helpful, empathetic and supportive during our temporary relocation for shop fit and also when applying for our website licence.

Refill Assistant - They were excellent support with our vaccinations and allowed us to schedule and cope with the volume of vaccines efficiently.

McLernons provided excellent support during the initial phase of Covid. They provided additional terminals to comply with social distancing and secure VPNs during our contingency planning.

John Downey Shopfitting completed a brilliant job on our pharmacy refit. The team kitted out our temporary unit and completed the extension and full refit of our original unit ahead of time.

Founder of Five Star Pharmacy Dermot Smyth has over 25 years of community pharmacy experience behind him, having come a long way since doing his pre-registration in Belfast in 1995. It was during that formative

year that Dermot’s passion for community pharmacy and helping people was nurtured.

Dermot says “I learned so much during that pre-reg year about how to treat people well and the positive effect that has in our place of work. Hence, I have carried 5 key principles throughout my professional life which I have now incorporated into the Five Star Pharmacy brand:

• To treat our customers well and give them a Five Star service – you put the shirts on our backs.

• To earn our customers’ trust so that in return they will listen to our advice.

• To be honest with our customers.

• To help our customers – most of our customers are poorly, sick or have a problem they need help with. Hence, our aim at Five Star Pharmacy is to help make you feel better before you leave.

• To be grateful of our own health, after all, Your health is your Wealth.”

As a pharmacy owner for 16 years now, Dermot has seen technology make numerous, positive changes, not just to the pharmacy profession, but to the way people live and shop.

Dermot shares that “In all my time in pharmacy I have always tried to improve myself, my pharmacy team and my business. I am looking forward to the challenge of creating a retail pharmacy online – I think the principles I learned all that time ago in Belfast of how to run a successful community pharmacy will hold for

online pharmacies as well. The 5 key principles will certainly be the foundation of what we are trying to achieve here with Five Star Pharmacy. So, I invite you all to stop by, shop our five star range of products, give us your feedback, let us earn your trust and let us help to keep you healthy and well. After all, as I’m still learning, your health is your wealth.”

Dermot adds, “Entering this Award we felt was hugely important. Firstly, to be able to reward our staff for all the hard work and input they have into the success of the business.

“Furthermore, these Awards highlight brilliantly how a small Community Pharmacy Business can be developed and grown through review, planning, reacting to change and implementing new ways of working.

“The project highlights the importance of staff buy -in, collaboration with key stakeholders putting patients and customers at the heart of the process. This Award showcases a source of pride for the locality of Slane and highlights the role pharmacies have to play in vaccination.

“It is also a great way to reward the resilience, ingenuity and adaptability of the pharmacy and the team.”

Dermot commented after winning the Award, “I really feel that this Award is a great reward for all my staff on reflection of the amount of work they have put into helping us take the business forward. Great reward for all the work and for all the staff and the work they have put in.

“Everyone here tonight, not just the winners of the different categories, but the finalists as well, are at the top of their game and therefore they are all a fantastic showcase to demonstrate what pharmacy does within communities all across Ireland.”

Michael Taylor, Head of Sales and Retail Solutions at United Drug commented, “On behalf of United Drug, I am honoured to represent the Business Development Independent category at the Irish Pharmacy Awards 2022. Following an exceptionally challenging two years for the industry, we are delighted to be back to celebrate and recognise the outstanding work from Pharmacies across Ireland who have been working tirelessly through the pandemic.

“On behalf of everyone at United Drug, we applaud the dedication, commitment and resilience of the Pharmacy teams who have stepped up and provided exceptional patient care. It has been a tremendous opportunity to reflect on the challenges that have past, and recognize the achievements and successes of our amazing pharmacy community.”

Dermot Smyth, Pharmacist and Owner, Slane Pharmacy