Bernie Watt, Pharmacy Advisor at Boots Ballymena, and the team from Boots the Square in Ballyclare both triumphed at the prestigious Northern Ireland Pharmacy in Focus awards, held at the Titanic Belfast on Saturday 27 January.

The annual event champions outstanding members of the pharmacy profession and celebrates the incredible contribution that local community pharmacy makes to people in Northern Ireland every day.

With more than 20 years of service to her name, Bernie Watt received the esteemed Pharmacy Team Member of the Year Award in recognition of her consistently high level of care for customers, patients and colleagues. Often being the first point of contact for advice and guidance at Ballymena Health Centre, Bernie plays a vital role in providing the best possible experience in store and supporting the needs of the wider Ballymena community.

Bernie has worked hard to establish collaborative working relationships among local healthcare professionals, and was commended for going above and beyond her daily duties to ensure that the most vulnerable patients have access to care.  Notably, Bernie often goes out of her way to deliver prescriptions to customers who are unwell or live on their own, and over the years has built up friendships among her patients.

The team at Boots the Square in Ballyclare Pharmacy were also successful on the night, winning the Customer Service Award in recognition of their consistent delivery of exceptional customer and patient care. Situated in a growing rural commuter town, the pharmacy has a diverse customer base and the team have made every effort to ensure each individual’s specific needs are met.

Fiona, the store manager, has developed her team and they all make sure that customer and patient care is at the very heart of everything they do, and champions learning and development opportunities within her team. She has made sure her team is fully trained in the provision of all services, which have been carefully selected to meet the needs of the local community. The team has also created a warm and relaxed environment in store, and were commended for being truly ‘customer focused.’

Congratulations to Bernie and the team at Boots the square in Ballyclare, and also to all our colleagues who were shortlisted: Caroline Bustard – Health Promotion Award, Ruth Kelly – Pharmacist of the Year, Sinead Bond – Community Pharmacy Service Initiative, Pharmacy team at Boots Donegall Place – Pharmacy Service Initiative.